off route

ROSSCO · Post by **ROSSCO** » 23 Nov 2008, 15:42

I am a delivery driver in a rural area.if i don't take my 40 mins meal relief on the round but on the way back to my office i go home for my 40 mins,is this o.k or because i am going off route (probably 0.5miles) will i get in to trouble?

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 23 Nov 2008, 15:46

ROSSCO wrote:I am a delivery driver in a rural area.if i don't take my 40 mins meal relief on the round but on the way back to my office i go home for my 40 mins,is this o.k or because i am going off route (probably 0.5miles) will i get in to trouble?

Depend's on your manager but you are not surpposed to go home and if you have an accident the police could become involved in that you have not had a break in driveing for over five hour's!.

axeman · Post by **axeman** » 23 Nov 2008, 15:54

You should be able to indeed go home so long as it isn't miles off your route but tell your manager first ! if he's a prat about it tell him you'll come back to the office for your break and toilet relief etc.. i think he'll say that 0.5 mls is acceptable as the journey back would presumably take much longer

johnnyp · Post by **johnnyp** » 23 Nov 2008, 16:42

Welcome to RMC ROSSCO

It should be ok as long as you let your Dom know,just cover your back.

yokel · Post by **yokel** » 23 Nov 2008, 19:12

Surely it is not required to have a break from driving if you are driving a small or transit van for over 5 hours. Isn't this just a requirement for larger vehicles. I drive a transit for longer than 5 hours without a break every day.

LDV 350 · Post by **LDV 350** » 24 Nov 2008, 08:17

Royal Mail will say you are not driving for 5 hours because you get out the van to deliver at each point, so therefor you atre not driving continuosly, see slippier than a bag of eels that lot

smarterdarter · Post by **smarterdarter** » 24 Nov 2008, 08:43

Is it not against the law to work over 4-5 hours without a break

we can split our break 2x 20mins but must take 1x 20min break before leaving D/O.
Why anyone would want their break when they have finished is beyond me

As for going home i think that may be frowned upon (if you got caught

)
can you go to tesco's and get your shopping!!! Hey your on your Break

brothermagrew · Post by **brothermagrew** » 24 Nov 2008, 15:33

ROSSCO wrote:I am a delivery driver in a rural area.if i don't take my 40 mins meal relief on the round but on the way back to my office i go home for my 40 mins,is this o.k or because i am going off route (probably 0.5miles) will i get in to trouble?

I would presume that apart from having to deviate from your round in order to get rid of a special delivery item in time, you are as far as I understand not meant to deviate from your delivery round. As is life, another of those grey areas, but I do know that an ex colleague of mine got stitched up by his then DOM for going hame for a short period of time, instead of returning back to the delivery office after his duty was completed. End result conduct coded and removed to another DO.