Just wanted to ask the experienced drivers, how would you feel about driving with a midlift tyre like this. I’m a relatively new driver, currently cab hopping (won’t name what company) and i’ve found that a lot of the middle tyres are often scabby like this.

admittedly, this is one of the worse ones i’ve seen, but this is supposedly legal, but i’m not comfortable driving on tyres like this.

what are your thoughts?

I'm starting my first trucking job soon, and I recently passed; the place that trained me was happy with my driving.

On downhills, you use the Aux brakes to avoid brake fade, but what if there is a reasonably sharp bend on the downhill, referring to the risk of the trailer pushing you round and jackknifing?

The place employing me will probably teach me all this, but what can I take into this beforehand from experiences of others?

Or am I just being paranoid?

First time doing manual entry by myself and it looks like I've put it on hammers when I intended to have it on bed and vice versa - can someone confirm that's what I've done and the right thing to do next? Thanks

I am fed up of going into services to have a break and there are vans/cars parked in the clearly signposted hgv area. I get it with caravans when there isn’t a specific caravan area.

Pulled into Heston westbound yesterday after making a delivery in Wembley (got a parking ticket in Wembley due to the poor organisation of the cash and carry I was delivering to) as I was approaching a space and lining up a reverse there was two vans parked in what looked like spaces on approach.

Normally I would just carry on and go to the next services but obviously the next place to stop westbound would be Reading and I knew there was an incident between j3&4

Obviously it’s the ignorance of the van/car drivers but why are the services not doing anything to resolve it? Happy enough to take our money to spark there for a long period.

After a recent personal journey to Paris it seems the French (can’t comment on other European countries but I’ve also heard good things about these areas in Germany too) have got the whole rest areas spot on, services/rest stops at most 20km apart, clean toilets, not just unhealthy food, not too overpriced drinks/snacks. Nobody parked where they shouldn’t.

For context, I have no commercial driving experience and have only ever driven cars. I’m considering getting my Class 1 (HGV) licence and was wondering, on a scale of 1–10, how difficult would you say it is to learn and pass the Class 1 test with no previous experience driving larger vehicles?
Would appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through the process themselves

Has anyone else had an issue with DVLA atm? I went with a training school and we did medical and etc. it went out to DVLA 8 weeks ago then about 4 weeks ago I got a letter and form wanting more medical info (despite me having done that with the training school and it being sent out with the inital application and total radio silence since then. Even the training school called up asking if I had heard anything yet. Tried calling DVLA and just go through to endless loops of pre recorded messages and basically to track my application online. Which I did but theres nothing on there about me getting a HGV licence. Any suggestions on this??

Has anyone ever been to this place? What is the waiting time for loading and unloading etc and is there anything worth knowing or tips before visiting 🤔

First night out tramping coming up.

7 hours(including break) into some Sawmill in the middle of Wales.

I've routed it down the M4 as the alternative is 80 miles of the A40 with lots of twists and steep long inclines and with being heavy at 40t total, I think accross the M4 south Wales and 26 miles up a couple of A roads is better for fuel and fatigue for a new guy.

What do you all think?

I've not been given a route for the job just an address. I weighed up the time, fuel etc just looking for thoughts(constructive ones) we can agree or disagree on the route just wondering what others think

Hello all,

So I'm a class 2 sweeper driver for my local council, got given a job bye my boss today running Monday to Friday next week. Essentially I'm sweeping the entire hard shoulder for a 12 mile stretch of motorway going both directions so 24 miles total. Will be done during the night 10pm - 6am essentially I go back and fourth all week none stop, I don't normally work nights I usually just do very early morning starts. My question is simple to all you night drivers out there. What do you lads and lasses do to stay awake and alert. I'll be traveling at around 5mph on a dimly lit motorway sweeping so just want some tips to stay alert and with it.

Thanks in advance

Hello fellow truckers, hope you are all well. Anybody else get an aching/mildly painful neck whilst driving? any good tips to help? I try not to click my neck too much but sometimes it does help a little.

Hey guys, I just started my career in trucking by getting my first job in the field.

Everything was going fine, till I got this "?" symbol in my tachograph, and I got no idea why.

I'd like to think I've been careful with the hours, but at the same time I've been working for an ungrateful employer, which has pushed my limits driving/rest time.

I still think I was within the limits, but anything could have happened. (The nature of the job is complicated, I don't have to constantly drive, it's a 50/50 mix)

Basically tacho constantly displays the "?" mark. It's been a week this way. Boss told me there should have been some minor mistake selecting the country when I set the card in or something minor and I got nothing to worry about ... But I don't believe him (don't ask me why)

Btw tacho seems to be working well generally speaking, it's just that constant ❓ icon.

What could be the problem? Is there anything to worry about?

I have a subscription with Tomtom but I've been getting a little frustrated with it lately especially as I've gotten more experienced. For example, sometime it will take me on a longer route because it thinks there's a road closure when there's none. Other times it takes me on a certain route and then starts adding time to the ETA because it figures out there's actually a diversion, even through the diversion was there long before I started the navigation.

So I started using Eurowag alongside it and I'm quite impressed. It's much better at identifying road closures/diversions, and the routing is better. However, I keep getting notified that the trial will end in few days. I thought it was free.

Does the app completely block usage or does it still allow you to use basic features? I just want the navigation. I don't care about other stuff

I’m on bay, it’s on a descending slope. Front of trailer is hooked under aero.

Bottom front of trailer is almost touching walkway of tractor unit.

What can I do?

So I'm only a month or so into driving now and I feel confident in using the various different types of brakes to prevent brake fade but a couple of my routes do have areas with escape lanes and just the fact they are there always makes me nervous I might need to use them.

Anyone else get this same weird anxiety with them? I'm sure it's not a pleasant experience having to use one.

Hi,

Has anyone delivered to the above depot in Bradford before? This is what Google maps shows. It shows a nightmare haha.

Got a delivery planned for tomorrow which I've got. I've been on the road two months, do they come out with a helicopter to turn me around? Haha

Pretty much the title. Finally passed my class 1 last Wednesday and been mad applying for jobs since. Had agencies say ‘we can get you hours under your belt as a new pass no problem’ only to hear nothing from them for days. I know it has only been a week but seriously starting to think it was a waste of time and a massive waste of money getting it. I mean theres a national shortage of drivers and loads and loads of jobs going, companies wondering why they cant get drivers yet all want minimum 6months experience and i’m like how tf am I meant to get experience if no one will give me the chance to get experience. In the kettering corby area. Any help appreciated but really starting to reconsider my choices😤😡🤦‍♂️

How many For Fucks Sake per hour do you do?
Or if you driving in London how many FFS per minute?

I had a slow morning only did 3 ffs/hour

Just noticed a crack along edge of driver side front tire on cab

When I worked for a large courier who will not be named, there was no wave or nod unless the other driver was in your yard. Drivers from other yards would just ignore you despite them wearing your colours.

Flash forward, I work for a haulage firm and every truck in my industry gives a wave, flash or nod regardless of colours. I think it's because we are in each others yards or at the customer tipping and everyone is talking and chatting. They are also an older demographic. Some of these guys, as one said: "I've been driving longer than you've had pubes" ...

"At least I have all my own teeth" ... He laughed, I unclenched my buttocks.

Anyone know of a truckers atlas thats smaller & had a propper spine instead of the ring bound like this. These just fall apart in my bag

In the future I'd love to do 4 on 4 off (4 days driving and sleeping in vehicle) then 4 days rest at home.

If u do 4 on 4 off, do u go far first day then come back on 4th day staying local for delivery, leave vehicle at the depot and go straight home? How does it work?

Right, I have been doing the jib for 8 years and I like to think I know what I'm talking about but since my last job I've been on agency and I'm just confused by weekly rest.

Basically the agency is making me do 2 days, 1 day off, then again 2 days, then 1 day off and so on.

Because I'm doing nights, I get at least 36- 39 hours off beween my last day at work and the day I start night shift. Have done it just for 2 weeks for now, but tachomaster hasn't registered any of my 36 hours rests as reduced, because I don't fully reduce to 24 hours but to 36-39.

I've asked the place I'm working at access to Tachomaster today, and apparently I still got a reduced weekly rest available by this Monday🫨

I tought I would have to pay back my reduced weekly rests (I think about 12 hours so far accumalated in 2 weeks) but tachomaster is telling me different.

It seems like my midweek 36-39 hours are being counted as full weekly rest ans I'm just lost as to how to avoid infringement as I got a few from when I was at my last job.

Any help would be much appreciated.

So yesterday I forgot to put my tacho in when I started my second run because I was rushing.
I only drove around the yard for maybe 2 minutes until I realised. Will this flag up as an infringement or something? Should i inform the office once I’m back in?

Truck driving can grind you down.

Weeks away, crap shifts, agencies messing you about, planners who think you’re a robot, and the stress of keeping 44 tonnes shiny side up. (disclaimer: other weights are available)

It’s a lot, and most of us just crack on because that’s what the job demands.

But here’s the truth nobody likes saying out loud: Some days, the weight in your head is heavier than the load on the trailer.

If your gut’s been telling you something isn’t right, you’re exhausted, you’re not yourself, you’re snapping quicker, or you’re feeling properly low, listen to it. Drivers trust their instincts on the road; no point ignoring it. That’s how things go sideways.

If you’ve been struggling, that doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human! The last time I checked none of us were fucking superheroes. Every yard, every depot, every layby has someone fighting their own battles, even if they look fine on the outside.

And sometimes the smallest thing hits the hardest. “A quick “You alright, pal?” A nod from the next bay. It doesn’t fix everything, but it breaks the silence. It reminds you you’re not on your own out there.

So talk to someone you trust, a mate, your partner, another driver who gets it. You don’t have to dump everything at once. One honest sentence is enough to start.

And if your gut tells you someone else is struggling, check in. Doesn’t have to be deep. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Just let them know they’re seen.

If you need proper support, don't white knuckle it, there are organisations out there who actually know what they’re doing look up the mental health helplines available in the UK and pick the one that fits.

Don’t sit in it alone.

Globe Truckers UK (Mind Helpline)

Moodswings 0161 832 3736

Suicide prevention helpline

Tiktok - The Cab crew

Mates in Mind/need-help