Obviously i meant to say that all this stuff i have written about the smoking ban has beeen for the ban in England not Scotland or Wales, but i’m sure the principles are the same and i wouldnt be surprised if the law is written almost word for word the same, but i thought i should just point it out just in case!

Now moving on from, i have heard that one view taken by organisations such as the RHA and the FTA, is that its very unlikely that, or indeed you’d be very unlucky to get nicked for smoking in your truck. The basis of this is that since the end of March there have been no recorded cases of any Scottish driver being prosecuted, so it is thought it may be a piece of legislation that has a big fat blind eye turned towards it, but WHAT EVER YOU DO DONT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!!!!!!!

2 seconds after publishing the first post i find this in an email from the RHA. The following information is taken from the RHA’s Summary Guide to Smoking Ban at Work. Thanks to the RHA.

Can drivers smoke in a works vehicle? Yes, unless the vehicle is used by anyone else at any other time. The regulations will require enclosed vehicles to be smoke-free at all times, if they are used:a. by members of the public or a section of the public (whether or not for reward or hire), orb. in the course of paid work by more than one person, even if those people use the vehicle at different times, or only intermittently. Intermittent use by other people would include the intermittent use of the vehicle by a worker such as a fitter using the vehicle for testing purposes. If there is regular or intermittent use of the vehicle by other workers, then the vehicle must remain smoke free even during any daily rest break taken by a driver in a sleeper cab.

Again it shows that even drivers in sleeper cabs cannot smoke in cab, even after hours. To read the RHA’s complete Summary Guide click the following link; http://www.rha.net/adviceandinfo/plonearticle.2007-06-28.4094792133  The guide also states; Who will inforce the regulations? Local authorities will enforce the new regulations and enforcement functions can be transferred between enforcement authorities.

Right although i’m not a smoker a lot of you other drivers are. So as a consequence it has been a matter of discussion especially as most of my friends are long distance and spend  4 or 5 nights away in a truck. Now, most are employed company drivers therefore the vehicles are insured for other drivers, even though the vehicle will only be home saturday or sunday.

To me this means that realistically one driver one truck, meaning the truck is in their possession and control all week, every week, with exception of servicing on a saturday morning. The driver uses the truck for work all day but after hours the truck becomes the drivers home, so this is where the question comes in; Is it or is it not illegal for the driver to smoke in the truck in the evenings or after the days work is done? Bearing in mind they would be allowed to smoke in their own bricks and mortar homes.

I’ve been trying to research into this and to be quite honest without a great deal of success., but I’m hoping i can add to this post as i can find more out. The following comes from the official Smoke-free Government regulations.

The Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007

2007 No. 765PUBLIC HEALTH, ENGLANDThe Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007

PART 3Vehicles Enclosed vehicles
     11. —(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, an enclosed vehicle and any enclosed part of a vehicle is smoke-free if it is used—
(b) in the course of paid or voluntary work by more than one person (even if those persons use the vehicle at different times, or only intermittently).

Right, this really is the only paragraph which i can find in the regulations that says anything relating to  the situation of one driver all the time except once in a very blue moon! I have highlighted the words to make a sentance for you (i hope). But by reading (b) over and over i think we can all say it is (Officially and on paper) illegal for a driver to smoke in his truck even if it is his home for the week (or more).  This is the official line. Sorry.

 The penalty for you naughty drivers for smoking in your truck is as follows; Smoking in smokefree premises or work vehicles: a fixed penalty notice of £50 (reduced to £30 if paid in 15 days) imposed on the person smoking. Or a maximum fine of £200 if prosecuted and convicted by a court.

Also for the operators of your truck if you are working for a company. The operator is responsible for stopping you smoking in your vehicle and also displaying no smoking signs in your truck. If they fail to do so they can be find £200!!!!! and they will have 29 days to cough up. Although it can be reduced to £150 if paid within 15 days.

I hope this gives some form of help but i take no responsibility for incorrect information, bla bla bla, you know what i mean. If you want the official quickquide please click here: http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/what-do-i-do/quick-guide.html

Just browsing through their website, www.truckstuff.co.uk and i found another new line of light bars to mount your spot lights on. They are Viking light bars and are built to fit most make of trucks and on most no drilling is required, just like all the others, but some thing to possibly spend you hard earned cash on, and compared to Kelsa they are a little bit cheaper but still come with wiring for 4 spots. Click here to see; https://store.truckstuff.co.uk/_8DE4BAF37A0F4CEFAB23398B407C737F/vikingssteellightbar/ .

I’ve long been a fan of CDC and have like many spent a fair bit on money on bits and pieces for various trucks. Whenever i have dealt with any one from CDC even speaking to the big man in charge, David  Fairweather, they have all been exceptionally helpfull and made parting with my cash that little bit easier, good to see they are doing there jobs correctly!

Also in the specials section of the website; https://store.truckstuff.co.uk/_8DE4BAF37A0F4CEFAB23398B407C737F/cdcspecials/, are some nice looking curtains, ranging from £125 for just a single pair to £149 pounds for a pair of curtains, Back Tunnel curtain, Front window fringe and matching rope tiebacks. Not bad me thinks, so get your wallets out and spend spend spend!

Click here to go to CDC’s front page; www.truckstuff.co.uk

Donnell and Ellis of Omagh.

The Company started in 1990 with a fleet of red and white trucks, which consists of 23 tractor units and 50 trailers. They operate from Omagh across the whole of the UK and Europe, transporting everything from 1 to 200 ton.

Read the complete story in the Ulster Herald at; http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/UH/free/365334665926901.php 

Sorry to mention the men in green once again but for anyone who’s interested, Stobart shares started trading on the stock exchange today.  This is all following the £138milliion pound merger with Westbury.

Although i can’t find what the price is.

  I recieved this information from  eurotunnel recently. A full overnight closure of all freight shuttles, the night of September 23rd.  All this information is straight from www.eurotunnel.com Check the website for more news and details.Overnight temporary service suspension
between 22 – 23 September 2007
Maintenance works will take place during the night of 22nd to 23rd September 2007. This will result in the temporary suspension of all Freight shuttle departures between the following times:

The last freight shuttle departure on Saturday night
22 September 2007 will take place:

The first freight shuttle departure on Sunday morning
23 September 2007 will take place:

Please note that all timings are in local time.

If you wish to travel on the last departure please check-in no later than 60 minutes before the planned departure time. Access to the Calais and Folkestone Terminals will remain open during this time.

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 I also received these figures a few weeks ago from www.eurotunnel.com and i thought they made for interesting reading. If you look at the figures for the first half of 2007,  just over 700,000 trucks were transported on the shuttle, pardon est moi, le shuttle, which i think is pretty impressive.

If you look at it another way, if you say there are 182 days in 6 months, it works out at 3886.9 trucks a day, so i think seeing as were all friends here we can call that 3887 trucks a day or 162 trucks an hour or even 2.7 trucks a minute!!!! (thanks for the calculator Jo!).

Here are the figures as given by Eurotunnel.

The number of trucks carried rose to 707,422, an increase of 9% over the first half of 2006.
The number of cars transported (955,510) rose by a similar amount (8%), or 68,046 vehicles.