VAUXHALL COMBO DRIVERS SEAT ISSUE

[robinalanson]

To me, as a royal mail rural delivery driver who gets in and out of the van about 120 times a day. The driving position and more impotantly the drivers seat should be "FIT FOR PURPOSE", which clearly at our office they are NOT. the combo i use is over 4 years old and is on its 3rd drivers seat and needs another new one!. I admit i am on the portley overweight side! but all five of our combo vans has had the drivers seat replaced at least once.They collapse on the side nearest the door. In 2004 i had a prolapsed disc, and fear the same thing will happen if royal mail does not supply there drivers with a van with a higher driving position.the transit connect were good vans as the driving posision was alot higher and non of the seats collapsed!
All the combo van drivers at our office are in agrement with me about how low it is for getting in and out and how useless the seats are. TO US DRIVERS at this rural office we need vans that ARE" fit for purpose". this is "NUMBER ONE - ON "HEALTH AND SAFETY", clearly ...to royal mail it is last on the list. SO PLEASE give us here the good news,that our spines will have something to smile about....we ARE going to get vans that are "FIT FOR PURPOSE"
HOPEFULLY!!!
IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT FEELS AS STRONGLY AS THIS,OR HAVE AN OPINION?
robin alanson

[SWIM]

totally agree.
I drive a combo and seats too low. not good.

[Cliff Clavin]

They should just be used for conveyance, loops, packet drops, colls,etc.

Constantly climbing in and out of these things on rurals is no use,

Rurals with constant drops, should have vans with a decent seated position that you dont need
to climb in and out. Like Bippers, Connects, etc.

[SexyLegs]

I had a hernia in 2007 and I'm forever telling managers that doing rurals in these vans aggrevates it, they always tell me I'm having them on, I'll show them this thread!!! lol

Obviously I won't but you know what I mean!

[pokos27]

All rural deliveries are a health hazard, back probs, knee probs, and the longest in the office.

[bensonhedge]

'in and out the van 240 times a day'

[Cliff Clavin]

'in and out the van 240 times a day'

I would imagine the distance between calls is a big factor, hence the term rural.

[joshua wingate]

It's a form of repetitive strain, and again, something that our lovely employers can't be arsed to take into consideration.

In our depot, there was a great gouge in the lining of the seat, the sponge had been ripped out. It was a hire van, so no-one from our depot had PMD'd it, it had arrived that morning, and the manager, desperate to get vans out on delivery, made the postman take it out by stuffing mail sacks in the hole!

F***king unbelievable!

[Pinky 1]

We've got three or four Combo's at our office, they aint new ones, but they've got height adjustable seats ...... your's haven't ?

[Cliff Clavin]

We've got three or four Combo's at our office, they aint new ones, but they've got height adjustable seats ...... your's haven't ?

I think only the 09 onwards have this mate, but it does make a welcome difference and gives a slightly better position.

[jockstrapp]

All rural deliveries are a health hazard, back probs, knee probs, and the longest in the office.

Certainly are because the lazy B@STARD rural driver in our office can't be fit because he does f#ck all

[bandit650]

Got the same problem in our office,i don't see it getting any better any time soon,we have to fill out a docket and wait for a replacement to come in and the back problems are getting worse,the other thing is that when they fall apart they ripe your trousers or shorts so you have to keep getting new uniform it must be costing a fortune!the back problems are causing a massive headache for the poor staff who drive the vans we have about 4 staff on rehab duties at the mo due to this, one guy could not even get out of the van as his back had gone into spasm they had to get a paramedic out the only firm you work for that causes it's own staff a health problem driving one of their vehicles.

[dazzer79]

i do a rural of 260 calls with a combo van, lower right lumber back pain was the result,until i finally had to go sick with the pain. i could not even get out of the van in the end ! i was off sick for 3weeks....had physio through atos,paid for by royal mail.i went back to work on light duties for 5 weeks doing 3 to 5 hours per day.this was all caused by the low seat position of the combo.physio has written to rm to tell them i must never drive a combo again as this was the cause of the inJury,i now have a peuguet bipper which has a far better higher seat position . really pleased with this van as you just shuffle off the seat instead of constantly pushing off on your right side to get out of the combo.other drivers in our office have also refused to drive these combos due to their backs .i was talking to gas board worker who told me that the fleet was changed by the gas board due to problems with these vans causing back problems. surely royal mail should take note and get rid of all these combos for HEALTH AND SAFETY REASONS ALONE !!!! I SOME HOW DOUBT THEY WILL!!

[bandit650]

I wish they would get rid of all the combo's they are the bain of my life i just feel for the staff that have to drive the things it is not very nice watching staff suffer with these vans and dead embarrassing having to wait while a paramedic comes out to help some poor blighter that has a problem,the lad kept saying sorry for crying but he was in so much pain and i could do nothing to help him other than stand there waiting for the services to turn up,thankfully he is getting better but he has to have a Bippa now but we are fast running out of vans.

[the deliverer]

The problem with the combos when getting out is you are forced to put your weight on one leg and push yourself out using your elbow against the door frame. The door sill is also too high as I am always getting my foot trapped when getting back in and closing the door - usually when parked on a slope. The engine heat does not help either in this hot weather. The Ford Connect and some Fiats we have are far better - you can get both feet on the ground before getting out. Also the third door is useful.

287 calls on my route, climbing from river level to houses 25 steps plus, overlooking river valley makes it a tough day. Not to mention horse riders, ramblers and day trippers on the overgrown, narrow lanes.