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Fatigue Management Without Maths

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Is this something you have thought about in the past, the need for fatigue management without maths? This is a simple solution to an aspect of truck driving quite a few people have a problem with.

This is something we often forget, the life of a truck driver gets more and more complicated every year. The problem is compounded by the type of roadside enforcement we have had to deal with over many years. 

The game for enforcement was to catch out the driver for a simple mistake and then ping them for it. Of course, it’s OK to fine someone for exceeding their driving hours or saying they were in a location which they clearly weren’t, but it got a lot more pernickety than that.

The driver who misspells a location in their log book is not trying to con anyone. They have just made a spelling mistake. Is that a fair enough reason for fining them?

The other crime often punished was miscalculating the number of driving hours worked. The driver would mark the logbook with the lines denoting driving and rest periods correctly, but then fail to add up the time correctly and fill in the wrong amount.

When I worked as a driver, I tried to check by ensuring all of the amounts of hours working, driving and resting would add up to 24. Not foolproof, but it kept me pretty straight.

Our host on this video comes up with a great solution to those who struggle with maths and need some reassurance they are getting it right and avoiding the petty fines for miscalculation. It’s simple and it works for people who have little confidence with adding up the numbers.

Hopefully, as the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator takes over the roadside enforcement in more states, the sort of ridiculous fining regime and blatant revenue raising of the state authorities will be a thing of the past. We wait with bated breath for a change in roadside culture in some states. 

Perhaps our friend with his Scottish accent and smart solution to the addition of hours, for those whose maths abilities are compromised, should be nominated as a diversity champion?

fatigue management without maths

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