Help Re. Working/Driving hours

JohnnyCash1919

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the rules for driving hours at work within the UK please?

I've had a look on google but don't seem to be able to find anything conclusive or anything that makes sense to my dull little brain.

In my place of employment I am sometimes required to drive the company 3.5 tonne vehicle from Yorkshire to London, work in London for a few hours (not driving work), then drive back to work in Yorkshire to drop the van off. I would say on average these days start at 8am and finish at around midnight - so around 16 hour shifts by my reckoning...
I don't think work fancy paying to put me and my colleagues in a hotel for the night.

I get plenty of breaks while driving.

If I arrive back home for say midnight I would usually start work the next day eleven hours later but can start earlier if I want to do so.

Another question, although this one is probably not a legal issue but I would appreciate some opinions on it;

When I am driving to London and other places I usually have a passenger with me that works alongside me when we reach our destination. The other person does not have a driving licence.

Due to the early starts and late finishes, the passenger is usually fast asleep - often with a pillow and duvet brought from home!- in the passenger seat for most of the journey to and from but is getting paid the same money as myself. Is that fair? I think it takes the Michael. Worth raising with the gaffer?

Thanks for any help or info. :T

Is that legal?

Daedalus

Couldn't one person drive down and the other drive back? Allowing for you to sleep one journey.

JohnnyCash1919

Daedalus wrote: »

Couldn't one person drive down and the other drive back? Allowing for you to sleep one journey.

The other lad doesn't know how to drive.... :eek:

pink_princess

Daedalus wrote: »

Couldn't one person drive down and the other drive back? Allowing for you to sleep one journey.

Without a licence? :eek:

What does your contract say about travel pay?

JohnnyCash1919

pink_princess wrote: »

Without a licence? :eek:

What does your contract say about travel pay?

It doesn't mention it at all. Driving pay or anything about driving.

Copy and paste job from the internet if I remember right. It's only a small, family-run company. I don't think they know much about the legalities of things.

pink_princess

JohnnyCash1919 wrote: »

It doesn't mention it at all. Driving pay or anything about driving.

Copy and paste job from the internet if I remember right. It's only a small, family-run company. I don't think they know much about the legalities of things.

Then if it does not state you will be paid extra for driving you won't be.

Maybe try to renegotiate your contract with a better deal?

JohnnyCash1919

pink_princess wrote: »

Then if it does not state you will be paid extra for driving you won't be.

Maybe try to renegotiate your contract with a better deal?

Yeah, me and the lad that usually gets stuck driving the other van (we take two wherever we go) are thinking of asking for some sort of driving bonus but I think they may laugh at us. Just seems really unfair, would be bad enough if the other lad was awake and doing nothing for his money but the duvet and the fact that he has nights out the night before because he knows he can sleep it off until about noon the next day in the van takes the biscuit!

Just wanted to know if other people thought it was fair re. both getting paid the same.

pink_princess

JohnnyCash1919 wrote: »

Yeah, me and the lad that usually gets stuck driving the other van (we take two wherever we go) are thinking of asking for some sort of driving bonus but I think they may laugh at us. Just seems really unfair, would be bad enough if the other lad was awake and doing nothing for his money but the duvet and the fact that he has nights out the night before because he knows he can sleep it off until about noon the next day in the van takes the biscuit!

Just wanted to know if other people thought it was fair re. both getting paid the same.

Does your contract state that you must drive?

JohnnyCash1919

pink_princess wrote: »

Does your contract state that you must drive?

Haven't read it for ages but I think it only really mentions doing "Whatever tasks are reasonably required" or something like that. I'm fairly certain there wasn't any thing about driving. The old woman that does the cleaning will have got the same contract to sign.

3drcos

A guy a worked with told the boss he doesnt mind driving but gets a bit !!!!ed off when the pass fall asleep the full route.. and from now on the next time he fall asleep he's getting kicked out the next bus stop

getmore4less

Does it really require 2 of you to do the work in London?

Could you employ someone in London to help for the few hours?

This would save the employer paying he other person to do nothing most of the day.