DEAR
Page 14
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Let's simplify drivers' hours
OVER the past few years, drivers hours have gone through many changes. Even now there are still four sets of rules by which a driver may be bound. When all is said and done the drivers' hours regulations are there to make sure that a driver does not drive/work for so long that he becomes a danger through tiredness.
Even so, under regulation 543/69 for a vehicle with a sleeper cab which is manned by two drivers, they may change their rest period to eight hours in every 30 giving a 22-hour spreadover.
I recently tried this with one of my drivers and, believe me, it makes a mockery of the law — at the end of 22 hours we were both shattered!
Surely the date of implementation of tachograph regulations (January 1, 1982) would be a good time to introduce a simple system for one and all. The following is one suggestion: In any period of 24 hours a driver: (a) may not drive for more than eight hours; (b) must have a break of at least 11 hours continuous rest; (c) must take a half-hour break after four hours work! driving.
In any period of one .week a driver:
(a) may not drive for a total of more than 48 hours; (b) may not be on duty for a total of more than 60 hours; (c) must have one continuous break from duty for at least 35 hours.
In cases of all vehicles which are double-manned, the above applies with the concession that the daily continuous rest period may be reduced to eight hours.
I think my idea is simple, ensures that drivers get the necessary rest, but yet gives the flexibility needed by some operators through double manning.
H. R. GOODALE Managing Director H. R. Goodale Ltd Lingfield, Surrey
Want to buy a dead body?
IN MAY 1979 we ordered a new French lorry from our friendly.
supplier in Cleveland complete with a TIR tilt body by a reput able bodybuilder in Rochdale.
On the vehicle's first trip to Germany it was refused entry to Holland and Germany. How ever, our driver, being made of stern stuff, managed to get his load delivered and returned forthwith never to darken their golden lands again.
We returned the vehicle on three occasions to the supplier and asked him for the original order. However, he refused to do this and blamed the bodybuilders. He performed open heart surgery on the body three times, but, alas, to no avail.
The body passed away last week after snapping at the headboard. Our local engineers have grafted on a temporary flat platform as we can no longer afford to buy another TIR body.
We are only a small concern working for a large litho plate company who require us to make weekly trips to our EEC partners.
We have taken advice, legal and otherwise, but we are still up the creek without a paddle.
Our last act before we give this body a "Viking funeral" (and the supplier) has been to write to the managing director of the company which imports vehicles in the hope that he can persuade the dealer to honour his obligations. Anybody want to buy a non TIR tilt-type dead body?
M. E. BOGAERT Transport Manager Berwick
Can you beat this?
THROUGH the medium of your excellent magazine we would • like to claim the record for the youngest ever hgv driver in the United Kingdom.
Our young driver, Steven Fellows, passed his test exactly eight days after his eighteenth birthday, thereby beating the previous claim by R. D. Sinclair of Evesham by 14 clear days. PETER G. BOWKER Managing Director Peter G. Bowker Ltd Shropshire
The worst ever get-together?
IN your editorial (March 15) you made reference to Commercial Motor as being the catalyst which brought the officials of the RHA and the owner-drivers associations together.
I have no doubt that this is true, but I cannot see it as an achievement. Actually, the results which followed destroyed what could have been the answer to may of the haulage industry's problems.
Most owner-drivers were looking for an association which was run by their own kind and not by those who were ripping them off. For this reason they would not have anything to do with the RHA and when it became known that their own representatives were recommending a link, a large number of members resigned and many more refused to join.
This also resulted in an internal split among the membership that remained, and in the end the leading officers resigned because they could see that all was lost.
They claimed that it was an outside influence that caused the problems and this may have been true to a certain extent. But the main cause was the get together with the RHA which I can only describe as the worst thing that ever happened to the owner-driver.
I was about to join the BAOD when I read in your journal of the talks between them and the RHA. My immediate reaction, like many others at the time, was to tear up my membership application form because .l then knew that I would be wasting my time if I joined.
S. A. JONES Owner-driver Pontypridd Mid-Glamorgan
RHA bent on sLOcide?
I NOTICED on page 3 of your Februrary 23 issue that the Road Haulage Association has released its reference tariffs for international haulage.
This, as your know, is part of the infrastructure system that our lords and masters in the so-called road haulage sector of the EEC are so interested in.
I am amazed that the employers are so keen to com mit suicide as to submit their lists of transport rates. the Commission's ultimate ob jective being to have track rates for all commodities in ton/ kilometres thereby eliminating any possible competition.
Once this is achieved then of course they will be able to get to the ultimate by putting a percentage increase on the tariff rate for goods carried by road to be offset against railway deficits.
The employers' associations assisting the EEC to achieve these objectives is noi
appreciated by the drivers whc are employed in the industry, and I am sure would similarly not be appreciated by thc hauliers who are supposed!) represented by the RHA.
JACKSON MOORE General Secretary United Road Transport Unim Manchester