Archives October 2021

Despite all the pressures being faced by the supply chain at the moment, it’s important to stay safe when driving for a living. For example, it’s easy to accidentally drive longer than legally allowed and tempting to do so when deadlines are tight. But it’s definitely not worth this risk to a professional driver!

Driving for longer hours has its risks. Drivers who are tired risk accidents, both minor and major, that can potentially have a serious impact on the driver and the company they work for.

Driving beyond regulated hours can have serious consequences for both the driver and the organisation they are employed by. In recent cases, drivers found going beyond the regulated working hours lost their licence for 12 months.

Companies who allow drivers to work beyond the regulated hours face tough penalties too. Organisations can face suspension of their transport licences, which can have a huge impact on their productivity, and individuals deemed responsible for allowing such offences to happen could find themselves also unemployed.

So with all those risks in place, is it really worth driving longer than permitted?

For more information about our online driver CPC courses, contact 01582 383033 or rue@wetraincpc.co.uk.

If you drive for a living across the country, it’s handy to know what makes a welcoming and well stocked service station, and where they are. So, in case you missed it, Which named the top 5 service stations across the UK – And here they are!

1. Gloucester Services, Gloucestershire (M5)
2. Tebay Services, Cumbria (M6)
3. Cairn Lodge (M74)
4. Norton Canes (M6)
5. Wetherby (A1M)

Have you visited any of these service stations recently?

There are many features that make a god service station. Not only does the range of amenities available make a difference, but other factors such as levels of staffing can make a huge difference to the overall experience.

Long distance drivers should always aim to take regular breaks from driving – And the better the service station, the more satisfactory the break!

For more information about our online driver CPC courses, contact 01582 383033 or rue@wetraincpc.co.uk.

Fuel continues to be a huge expense in the logistics sector, and as such it’s vital that LGV drivers remember to consider fuel efficiency when driving. Here’s our top tips!

Have you got cruise control? Cruise control is becoming more and more standard in LGVs, and for a good reason – computers can calculate correct speeds and efficient fuel consumption better than any human. So make good use of it!

Are you block changing? By block changing gears, say from second to forth gear, rather than working up through the gears, you’re absolutely improving your fuel efficiency – so make sure you’re block changing where safe and possible to do so!

Is your engine STILL running? Turn your engine off if you’re not moving anywhere – even if you’re trying to stay warm with the heating on! You’re eating up more fuel than you realise!

Are you feeling resistance? Fuel efficiency in LGVs in particular can suffer from resistance – there are easy ways to combat this, such as plotting less hilly routs for LGVs where possible.

For more information about our online driver CPC courses, contact 01582 383033 or rue@wetraincpc.co.uk.