How to drive a van?
Discussion
Pica-Pica said:
… but what about going backwards?
Well done OP. Perhaps after a while, they will upgrade you to a newer one!
I will get a new one when I start, this is just the training van. It is out of service and used just for assessments and as a back up.Well done OP. Perhaps after a while, they will upgrade you to a newer one!
I’m going off to Exeter to read medicine late September hopefully... I want to get as much hours out of this job before. Maybe I can get a s
t old van and do courier work when I get there to get easy money, I’m currently also a sales assistant and that’s tedious work so I don’t want to continue that when I go off to uni.And if the grades don’t work out this year, I’m going to do a gap year, reapply to med school and keep the Waitrose job (if it goes well) . Or go back to school part time to resit one A level . Either way I think i will be working here longer than I thnk. Hopefully I will enjoy this work as it seems a lot more laid back than other positions.
Edited by VS02 on Wednesday 7th July 19:51
Edited by VS02 on Wednesday 7th July 19:52
Firstly, OP well done on getting the job and equally on passing the test.
Just a few points for me. Can't remember the poster, but the member who said to not worry about having to get out to check the space around you is spot on. I've hired Lutons on occasions, and often did this.
When changing in to a right lane always do the 'lifesaver', which in cars is looking over your shoulder, but in this instance in my work-van (albeit a lot smaller than what you'll drive) I opened the window enough to look back along the rear side of the van for anyone in the blind-spot. Where this is concerned don't go sticking your head out though, as you don't want to loose it!
By the same token keep a good eye on the left wing mirror for a while leading up to a maneuver to a left lane, so you build up a picture of what's around you in advance. I always indicated for a little longer than usual before swapping lanes, to give others plenty of warning.
Finally, IIRC, a poster on here 'Milkround' is a supermarket delivery driver. He's a nice enough chap, so sure he'd offer you words of advice (like keep any receipts on the job...)
Just a few points for me. Can't remember the poster, but the member who said to not worry about having to get out to check the space around you is spot on. I've hired Lutons on occasions, and often did this.
When changing in to a right lane always do the 'lifesaver', which in cars is looking over your shoulder, but in this instance in my work-van (albeit a lot smaller than what you'll drive) I opened the window enough to look back along the rear side of the van for anyone in the blind-spot. Where this is concerned don't go sticking your head out though, as you don't want to loose it!
By the same token keep a good eye on the left wing mirror for a while leading up to a maneuver to a left lane, so you build up a picture of what's around you in advance. I always indicated for a little longer than usual before swapping lanes, to give others plenty of warning.
Finally, IIRC, a poster on here 'Milkround' is a supermarket delivery driver. He's a nice enough chap, so sure he'd offer you words of advice (like keep any receipts on the job...)
Drove one of these the other day, a 19-seater minibus, forgot how nice the engine/box combo is. Even after 200k, they still drive OK. Also, the brakes thing isn't just you, I found all the previous shape (2012-19) one have brakes that feel like they won't do anything. When you get to Exeter, contact a local courier, might be some handy work there and lots like the Sprinter for the drive and reliability (my company has 6 I think, a mix of manual and auto, most seem to be the 516 or 515 CDi, but not sure what that means for power wise)
One Amp Andy said:
Excellent. Well done mate. Now do that for a while, get your class 1, and come and work for me. Good monez! 
I saw an ad today which claimed to pay £45,000-£65,000 for general haulage. Four on four off full load and double drops. I will believe it when I see it, though.
mercedeslimos said:
Drove one of these the other day, a 19-seater minibus, forgot how nice the engine/box combo is. Even after 200k, they still drive OK. Also, the brakes thing isn't just you, I found all the previous shape (2012-19) one have brakes that feel like they won't do anything. When you get to Exeter, contact a local courier, might be some handy work there and lots like the Sprinter for the drive and reliability (my company has 6 I think, a mix of manual and auto, most seem to be the 516 or 515 CDi, but not sure what that means for power wise)
The one I drove today was a 310CDI with i think 90bhp. It certainly didn’t feel as asthmatic as it sounds. VS02 said:
I will get a new one when I start, this is just the training van. It is out of service and used just for assessments and as a back up.
I’m going off to Exeter to read medicine late September hopefully... I want to get as much hours out of this job before. Maybe I can get a st old van and do courier work when I get there to get easy money, I’m currently also a sales assistant and that’s tedious work so I don’t want to continue that when I go off to uni.
And if the grades don’t work out this year, I’m going to do a gap year, reapply to med school and keep the Waitrose job (if it goes well) . Or go back to school part time to resit one A level . Either way I think i will be working here longer than I thnk. Hopefully I will enjoy this work as it seems a lot more laid back than other positions.
I went to Exeter to do my PhD, great university, great city and great part of the country. You'll love it there! I’m going off to Exeter to read medicine late September hopefully... I want to get as much hours out of this job before. Maybe I can get a s
t old van and do courier work when I get there to get easy money, I’m currently also a sales assistant and that’s tedious work so I don’t want to continue that when I go off to uni.And if the grades don’t work out this year, I’m going to do a gap year, reapply to med school and keep the Waitrose job (if it goes well) . Or go back to school part time to resit one A level . Either way I think i will be working here longer than I thnk. Hopefully I will enjoy this work as it seems a lot more laid back than other positions.
Oh and nice one on passing your test!
Remember that the braking distance changes depending on how much load the van's carrying. I guess food can be quite heavy.
And take the time to get your mirrors positioned exactly right and build the habit of checking them as you drive along.
And don't try to cut any corners with the long wheelbase.
And take the time to get your mirrors positioned exactly right and build the habit of checking them as you drive along.
And don't try to cut any corners with the long wheelbase.
I'd been driving the previous model Sprinters for a year or so then the new ones arrived and they're rather different, much lighter and sharper but feel a bit vague on the road. Then the latest FWD ones arrived and they make city / restricted spaces a bit of a chore as the lock isn't great. As I write, I'm back in a new model but RWD version and it's a revelation being back in one with a good steering lock. 27degs and no Aircon is grim.
marksx said:
Well done. After a few hours in the proper vans your polo will feel small and odd.
Many years ago as a courier my regular van was a LWB Transit. A mate got us some contract work one weekend delivering pallets of goods up North. We went to pick up a 7.5 tonne truck from the hire company in Southampton and due to some screw up we ended up with an HGV 3 10 plus tonnes.
Being the 80s nothing was said and off we went.
We got to a large gravel truckstop near Liverpool and were pulling in with a bit of flair ie stupidity and wheelspinning to impress some girls waving at us.
I pull on the hand brake with a whoosh of the air, waved back and threw open the door.
Promptly forgetting that I wasn't in my Transit thus misjudged the height of the cab and fell to the ground in a lump.
Very cool
So I’ve started my job. I do have to say, as good as the new van is tech wise, the turning circle on these FWD ones is absolutely hopeless. And so is the ride quality. I do prefer the rest of the van though.
I’m still getting used to reversing the damn thing, the other day I delivered to my A level teacher, and blissfully unaware, I reversed in to her hedge from one of my enormous blind spots.
Excuse the double yellow parking, this customer’s house was on a steep hill and there was nowhere to park bar walking half a mile without a trolley .
It is a good job though if quite taxing on the body. But I’m enjoying it, I do like a challenge and some hard work.
Glad you've started and things are going well on the whole!
You'll get used to reversing, at least it was only a hedge and not a person!
I park on double yellows reasonably frequently - same reason as you. We only get 3 minutes scheduled per delivery at my place so you can sod walking any great distance.
You'll get used to the physical side of things - took me a few weeks during which I lost about a stone. Seem to have put it all back on again now though....
You'll get used to reversing, at least it was only a hedge and not a person!
I park on double yellows reasonably frequently - same reason as you. We only get 3 minutes scheduled per delivery at my place so you can sod walking any great distance.
You'll get used to the physical side of things - took me a few weeks during which I lost about a stone. Seem to have put it all back on again now though....
The current collection of new Sprinters on fleet at my place of work m to have mysteriously and covertly been tweaked... that or up until now I've been lucky and had vans that aren't like this, but...
They're limited to 56mph and will do a true 56mph on GPS though when doing so, would indicate about 59 to 60mph on the dash display. Cruise control could be set at 60mph, that'd see you doing 56mph thus on the limiter but any more would see cruise switch off.
Lateky, I've had vans that will now only do 51mph flat out using the throttle pedal but will rise to 56mpg if you use the cruise control to increase the speed. That's GPS verified figures. At first I thought I had a dodgy van but the past five I've had all now do the same. Part of me thinks is this to make sure nobody is doing 56mph on A roads and such like or the company trying to save a few pence by dropping the maximum speed or perhaps just incorrect set limiters.
Whatever the reason, it's incredibly frustrating and a bit unnerving more so as you accelerate to pull out to pass something doing 50ish and you're met with a pretty marked limiter wall at 51mph, leaving you to frantically get it on cruise to get up to 56mph. Or if you're sat on cruise at 56mph, approach slightly slower traffic do brake, cruise knocks off and immediately the van tries to get to 51mph and the traffic speed increases and you're foot to the floor, maxed out and again fumbling to get it on cruise again. Had a few moments where that loss of 5mph has been enough to create a situation.
Between that and a slightly over excitable driver monitoring system that allows you to go up adients, foot to the floor and revving it out and it seems unintetested yet if you even so much apply the slightest of throttle input at lower speeds going downhill it hurtles into the red zone and issues driver penalties. There's a short downhill sliproad near the base, downhill and to keep it out the red as you travel down it, picking up speed at a snails pace means you're joining the motorway doing about 40mph. Madness.
Also the same system monitors harsh braking so one firm dab and it's flagged and before the driver standards bonus was canned, that one incident could lose you your bonus. So in essence the incentive was not to brake. Between the system being hyper-sensitive to downhill throttle inputs and any form of 'assertive braking' needless to say trying to get along most roads, more so rural roads with big gradient changes, tight bends and suicidal tractors is a challenge. Some guys come back looking like nervous wrecks as they've tried to not get any hits on the system though being fair, nobody has ever been pulled up as yet...
Sometimes having big brother watching your every move adds unnecessary stress to the task in hand. Cool story bro etc etc!
They're limited to 56mph and will do a true 56mph on GPS though when doing so, would indicate about 59 to 60mph on the dash display. Cruise control could be set at 60mph, that'd see you doing 56mph thus on the limiter but any more would see cruise switch off.
Lateky, I've had vans that will now only do 51mph flat out using the throttle pedal but will rise to 56mpg if you use the cruise control to increase the speed. That's GPS verified figures. At first I thought I had a dodgy van but the past five I've had all now do the same. Part of me thinks is this to make sure nobody is doing 56mph on A roads and such like or the company trying to save a few pence by dropping the maximum speed or perhaps just incorrect set limiters.
Whatever the reason, it's incredibly frustrating and a bit unnerving more so as you accelerate to pull out to pass something doing 50ish and you're met with a pretty marked limiter wall at 51mph, leaving you to frantically get it on cruise to get up to 56mph. Or if you're sat on cruise at 56mph, approach slightly slower traffic do brake, cruise knocks off and immediately the van tries to get to 51mph and the traffic speed increases and you're foot to the floor, maxed out and again fumbling to get it on cruise again. Had a few moments where that loss of 5mph has been enough to create a situation.
Between that and a slightly over excitable driver monitoring system that allows you to go up adients, foot to the floor and revving it out and it seems unintetested yet if you even so much apply the slightest of throttle input at lower speeds going downhill it hurtles into the red zone and issues driver penalties. There's a short downhill sliproad near the base, downhill and to keep it out the red as you travel down it, picking up speed at a snails pace means you're joining the motorway doing about 40mph. Madness.
Also the same system monitors harsh braking so one firm dab and it's flagged and before the driver standards bonus was canned, that one incident could lose you your bonus. So in essence the incentive was not to brake. Between the system being hyper-sensitive to downhill throttle inputs and any form of 'assertive braking' needless to say trying to get along most roads, more so rural roads with big gradient changes, tight bends and suicidal tractors is a challenge. Some guys come back looking like nervous wrecks as they've tried to not get any hits on the system though being fair, nobody has ever been pulled up as yet...
Sometimes having big brother watching your every move adds unnecessary stress to the task in hand. Cool story bro etc etc!
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