'Working like this has most likely led to many single vehicle accidents'
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ver the 30 years that I have been driving HGVs the rules and regulations on drivers' hours have changed several times but have they changed for better or worse? In the 1960s a driver could work seven days on the trot at a maximum of 12.5 hours a day so that he always had 11 hours off between each spell of duty. But in today's modern hi-tech traffic office things have changed so much. The introduction of tachos and joining the EC has been coupled with confusion over hours For drivers and transport managers alike. Taking the drivers' hours of duty and explaining them to a newcomer into the transport industry can be mind boggling. When you have finished telling them they go away looking very puzzled.
The law says that you can work up to 15 hours a day For up to three days in any one working week of six days For these days you can work 12.5 hours a day and the sixth day is usually a short day. Far every 4,5 hours driving you have to take a threequarter hour break. Taking a typical week, I start on a Sunday afternoon, working about 5.5 hours, including a three-quarter hour break. I park up about 19:30hrs and have a nine-hour break and start around 04:30hrs on Monday. I do a 15-hour day taking all relevant breaks, returning to base at 19:30hrs to finish work. I then have to have nine hours break which includes 30 minutes travelling home followed by a wash, meal and about two and a half hours spent with family before going to bed for five hours' sleep. Then I get up at 04:00 to start work at 04:30hrs. This pattern can happen for at least two days and maybe three depending on the work situation. This means that if you take two days of 15 hours, I get just five hours sleep for working 30 hours. You are most tired between 04.00 and 06:00hrs and at that time have to cope with traffic congestion delivering in city centres. You may be late for a delivery because of bad traffic or an accident but the customers are never interested in your reasons for being late and can sometimes be abusive. Through all this the driver has to keep his cool and be nice to the customer.
All this after five hours sleep, driving around 200 miles, putting up with traffic problems and further deliveries—it can lead to a very stressful day. Then there is the lourney home again, getting in the yard at 19:00hrs, finishing at 19:30hrs, starting the next day at 04:30hrs and repeating the previous day's pattern. Working like this has most likely led to many single vehicle accidents, with drivers dropping off to sleep at the wheel in the early hours of the morning. Drivers seem to get more hours off away from home than they do at home during the week. Having a social life is impossible. I believe the answer is to scrap the 15hour rule and replace it with a 13-hour day allowing drivers to spend a minimum of 11 hours at home, It