train crossing truck driver
in [Aussie Drivers]
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From: reg-john on 10 Jun 2007 03:49 "Noddy" <dg4163@(nospam)dodo.com.au> wrote in message news:466a2823$0$59815$c30e37c6(a)lon-reader.news.telstra.net... > > "Daryl Walford" <dwalford(a)internode.on.net> wrote in message > news:136k3cmqv8uhrcc(a)corp.supernews.com... > >> Is that what the driver is saying caused the crash? >> If so I don't buy it, I can understand not seeing the actual train but >> not seeing the flashing warning lights because of the sun is difficult to >> believe. > > It is indeed. > > Given the geography it's difficult to believe that Ray Charles couldn't > have seen the train coming five minutes before it got to the crossing. > >> My guess is he wasn't concentrating enough but that said a truck driver >> needs lot of distance to stop so IMO there should be extra warning >> flashing lights at least 200mtrs before crossings like that where the >> speed limit is high or alternatively speed limits on the approach to >> level crossings should be reduced or maybe a combination of both. > > The story in this morning's paper (Herald Sun) seemed to be suggesting > that he presumed he was going to beat the train over the crossing but > bailed out at the last minute when he realised he wasn't going to make it. > There's also been plenty of suggestion recently that such practices are > relatively common in country areas as some truck drivers would rather take > the risk than have to stop and waste ten minutes going through 18 gears to > get back up to speed. > > It's *way* over time for tachographs to be mandatory in all heavy > vehicles. how about in cars? surely it shouldnt matter right? i mean you in your car can legally drive indefinitely, not have a break, and if you have an accident, the only law that applies is the one concerning the accident. > > -- > Regards, > Noddy. >
From: reg-john on 10 Jun 2007 03:55 "Noddy" <dg4163@(nospam)dodo.com.au> wrote in message news:466a458f$0$59825$c30e37c6(a)lon-reader.news.telstra.net... > > "Daryl Walford" <dwalford(a)internode.on.net> wrote in message > news:136kcqd3u4mc645(a)corp.supernews.com... > >> If true thats bloody stupid, IMO it would be better to have make vehicles >> slow down when approaching a level crossing. >> I don't know if the rule still exists but passenger coaches used to have >> to "come to a complete stop and engage first gear" before entering a >> level crossing, IMO thats a bit extreme but its got to be safer than >> going through a crossing at 100kph. > > Absolutely. > >> There are better technologies around these days like GPS tracking, at any >> time who ever is controlling the system can find out where a vehicle is, >> how fast its going and even what gear its in and the engine rpm. > > Yeah, but do they give you a past history like a data recorder? I work for a fuel company, every truck in the fleet has GPS uplinking done by a company called Minor Planet, Your speed, location, rpm, brake use, etc etc is recording permanently and is linked to your name via a tag on system in the truck. weekly speed reports for every vehicle are produced and handed over to the fuel companies we contract to, certain companies stipulate that any truck continually going over 104kmh will not be allowed to travel outside city areas, ie no country work. our company stipulates gps data must match manifest AND logbook data, punishable by either removal from current task to a shittier one or ultimately sacking. this is how it will all eventually be, but until it is you will get companies pushing their drivers. and expect the cost of most goods to increase in line with the large costs incurred in complying 100% with safety regulations.
From: Michael on 10 Jun 2007 04:03 Clockmeister wrote: > "DJ" <mrjay1(a)bigpond.net.au> wrote in message > news:466acac2$0$17157$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... >> clockmeister wrote: >>> Slamming into the side of a train was certainly effective but didn't get >>> the load to it's intended destination. >>> >>> Fuckwits shouldn't be on the road, fullstop. Truck driving is supposed to >>> be a professional occupation after all... >>> >>> >> One of the biggest problems is that there is a major shortage of drivers >> in the fastest growing industry in Australia and many companies will >> overlook discrepancies of driving records even though one of the major >> requirements is a current driving record from the relevent departments >> eg.RTA, and medicals. proving you have a HC or better still an MC licence, >> you are usually snapped up by an employer these days as nobody wants these >> jobs any longer due to the mad and confusing legislations and over zealous >> law enforcement officers wanting to UP his tally. >> Secondly, you have a very powerful retail sector as some of those have >> been mentioned here that are involved with retail and they want their >> stuff yesterday,not today, so therefore the rail is no where near >> efficient in many cases when you can have a B-double deliver goods to a >> wharehouse say from Syd- Melb or Syd- Bris and especially melb - Bris, as >> a train will usually take about 2-3 times longer to get to the >> destination.then it has to be sorted and distributed. >> Now given that about 95-99% of stuff you'll find in supermarkets,variety >> stores and dept stores are imported, as soon as the container is released >> from the wharves, it will go by truck and the trailers are generally >> unhitched and left at a customer's dock till it has been emptied then the >> trailer will be taken away again and taken to a container park to be >> de-hired or the container willl be taken to a transport wharehouse, will >> be hand or forklift unloaded, stored untill needed by customer then sent >> via curtainsider (tautliner) or other trailer types to be delivered to >> customer who in turn uses product themselves or distributes their own. >> A friend of mine who has his own shipping and frieght forwarding company >> in Sydney has told me that some customers are willing to pay up to $3k to >> have a 1 x 40' container brought up from Melb to Syd by truck rather than >> train due to the time it takes so they can keep their customer as >> sometimes the ship may not stop at Syd from the containers origin. >> So, yeah...when they say without trucks, Australia stops, it's not too far >> off the mark!! > > All very valid points, but no judge is going to buy that as a defense for > slamming a truck into the side of a train. > >> It's just the way it is and probably will be for a long time to come. >> > > Yep, the culture of "She'll be right, mate", feet dragging and red tape > creating is catching up with Australia... > > Time to kick some arsses are raise the efficiency of the workforce in > general, there are simply too many people doing too little IMO. > > > Its not the workforce, its the shortsightedness/greed of management/government. You blame the workforce, so your going to impose regulations to the point were people cannot work due to regulations? If you want something done properly your going to have to challenge the cobwebbed viewpoints of the management. Not blame the people that are actually *doing* the work, you put all the blame on the people who are doing the work and all you will get is resentment. On the other respect if you have a worker that is doing an excellent job, he should be rewarded appropriately and given the opportunity to develop his career. You cannot treat intelligent individuals like school children, either they will listen to you and act accordingly or they will turn their backs, to your detriment. Business in Australia knows it can treat people like children and get away with it. They need to grow up and start treating people like adults, only then will workers care enough to do the right thing. You want monkeys then pay peanuts. End of rant. Mick C
From: Michael on 10 Jun 2007 04:11 Daryl Walford wrote: > Michael wrote: >> Daryl Walford wrote: >>> Noddy wrote: >>>> "Daryl Walford" <dwalford(a)internode.on.net> wrote in message >>>> news:136k3cmqv8uhrcc(a)corp.supernews.com... >>>> >>>>> Is that what the driver is saying caused the crash? >>>>> If so I don't buy it, I can understand not seeing the actual train >>>>> but not seeing the flashing warning lights because of the sun is >>>>> difficult to believe. >>>> >>>> It is indeed. >>>> >>>> Given the geography it's difficult to believe that Ray Charles >>>> couldn't have seen the train coming five minutes before it got to >>>> the crossing. >>>> >>>>> My guess is he wasn't concentrating enough but that said a truck >>>>> driver needs lot of distance to stop so IMO there should be extra >>>>> warning flashing lights at least 200mtrs before crossings like that >>>>> where the speed limit is high or alternatively speed limits on the >>>>> approach to level crossings should be reduced or maybe a >>>>> combination of both. >>>> >>>> The story in this morning's paper (Herald Sun) seemed to be >>>> suggesting that he presumed he was going to beat the train over the >>>> crossing but bailed out at the last minute when he realised he >>>> wasn't going to make it. There's also been plenty of suggestion >>>> recently that such practices are relatively common in country areas >>>> as some truck drivers would rather take the risk than have to stop >>>> and waste ten minutes going through 18 gears to get back up to speed. >>>> >>> If true thats bloody stupid, IMO it would be better to have make >>> vehicles slow down when approaching a level crossing. >>> I don't know if the rule still exists but passenger coaches used to >>> have to "come to a complete stop and engage first gear" before >>> entering a level crossing, IMO thats a bit extreme but its got to be >>> safer than going through a crossing at 100kph. >>> >>>> It's *way* over time for tachographs to be mandatory in all heavy >>>> vehicles. >>> >>> There are better technologies around these days like GPS tracking, at >>> any time who ever is controlling the system can find out where a >>> vehicle is, how fast its going and even what gear its in and the >>> engine rpm. >>> The DAF has some sort of tachograph system fitted as standard but >>> AFAIK no one looks at the data, I don't know if it even works. >>> A lot of the trucks in our fleet, especially the interstaters have >>> the GPS system fitted, the older DAF I used to drive has it but for >>> some reason mine doesn't. >>> One of our drivers does weekend work for Linfox doing supermarket >>> deliveries, apparently they have been told they are not allowed to >>> exceed 1800rpm in the MB Actross's, they must have a tracking system >>> or tachograph installed because the fleet controllers know if the >>> drivers disobey the no more than 1800rpm rule and they get a warning >>> if they do it too often. >>> >>> >>> >>> Daryl >> They couldn't do that from the oil usage? > > Please explain? > > > > Daryl Well I am assuming they can tell the condition of the motor from the service history, you start abusing the motor, the general condition declines. I am no motor mechanic, just a thought. But no doubt an experienced motor mechanic can tell you the condition of a motor during a service? I can give you a vague idea of the condition of a motor from just listening to it, listening for things like piston slap or a noisy valve train. No doubt a decent motor mechanic could tell more during a service, then again you are probably more than right, the thought just occurred to me. Just a passing comment. Mick C
From: reg-john on 10 Jun 2007 04:15
"Kev" <kevcat(a)optunet.com.au> wrote in message news:466ae597$0$29666$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... > Daryl Walford wrote: > >> Noddy wrote: >> >>> "Daryl Walford" <dwalford(a)internode.on.net> wrote in message >>> news:136kcqd3u4mc645(a)corp.supernews.com... >>> >>>> If true thats bloody stupid, IMO it would be better to have make >>>> vehicles slow down when approaching a level crossing. >>>> I don't know if the rule still exists but passenger coaches used to >>>> have to "come to a complete stop and engage first gear" before entering >>>> a level crossing, IMO thats a bit extreme but its got to be safer than >>>> going through a crossing at 100kph. >>> >>> >>> Absolutely. >>> >>>> There are better technologies around these days like GPS tracking, at >>>> any time who ever is controlling the system can find out where a >>>> vehicle is, how fast its going and even what gear its in and the engine >>>> rpm. >>> >>> >>> Yeah, but do they give you a past history like a data recorder? >>> >> I believe they can although I've never seen one working apart from a demo >> I saw on the net a while ago. >> >>> My understanding of tachographs is that they log data for 24hours, and >>> the disks can be pulled out and read by handheld reader. >>> >> The one in my DAF looks like a CD player, I know its connected into the >> system somehow because you need to use the buttons on the it to adjust >> the clock display in the tacho. >> They are probably standard on Euro trucks but I don't recall seeing one >> in any of the other trucks I've driven. > > > We have them in the Volvos > they are a cassette type deal > you load up 7 cards(one weeks worth) into the cartridge and push it in > it will record things like speed, engine revs, brake activation against > time over a 24hour period per card > they need someone trained how to read them and it's very time consuming so > they are not very widely used and are limited in their use, mostly for > maintenance > > we had sat tracking at Caltex and at my previous company > it's a satellite system that can record what ever you like and even send > messages back and foward if the optional console is fitted(caltex) > > the probelm with these systems are that they can be used in evidence > against you but they can't be used in your defence(in a law coart) > > as for the 1800rpm limit > Troncs Carrying used to have a 1900prm limit, which was against the > manufacturers limits, like using the engine brake on steep hills, the > engine manufacturer states to run the engine up to 2100rpm to achieve max > engine braking > and also the 1900rpm limit meant staying in a lower gear(opposite what the > company wanted to save fuel) when climbing steep hills because you needed > to go higher so that after a gear change you still have enough revs to > pull away > > Kev > what sort of trucks?? weve got mostly c-15 cats and anything over 1600 on the flat is consdiered excessive, maybe up to 1800 on some hills to maintain torque for the next gear. > |