Exhausted from driving but no choice

batman1

Employer is a small community based company that has offices spread over a wide area in sometimes remote places.

In charge of the entire geographic area, I am required to attend meetings at these satellite centres but I have no control over the meeting times as each centre has its own manager, bit like a franchise.

So in order for me to attend morning meetings I have to be away from home at 5am, maybe a 3 hour drive and then home again that night at maybe 8/9, and maybe a few hours driving in between. I have been driving up to 8 hours per day. This is not every day but around 3 days per week average.

I can feel this beginning to wear me down.

My employer is unsympathetic and has a 'suck it up' attitude. They won't provide overnight accommodation either and as I'm a lone parent I can't really do overnights as such.

I have looked for policies but can't find any for people driving. I assume that they have a duty of care towards me ?

I was aware that there would be travel when taking up the role but I never imagined there would be this much.

How to sales people manage ?

I really love the actual job and I know it will open doors for me down the line, but the driving time is exhausting me slowly, both physically and mentally.

I would be grateful for any shared experiences or advice

bee06

Can you not do conference calls or video calls. It seems like such a waste of money (I assume they pay you mileage) for a start that you actually have to go physically to all these meetings.

mickuhaha

There is nothing in legislation here that would help you except that you are required to get a rest period of 11 hours between days. This does not apply if you're responsible for your own hours worked or travel to work. Your employer is not braking any duty of care to you for having a long commute to work. You need to negotiate a better position or get a different job.

pwurple

Better comms needed with the franchise managers here. You may not be in charge , but you can certainly make them aware the time does not suit you.

Also, use telecommunications as suggested above. Maybe every second meeting, if you have to be there in person for some.

5am to 9pm day is crazy, especially as a parent.

Check EU legislation. Travel from your home to main workplace is not work time, but travel to clients IS work time, if it is not your base place of business, as far as I know. That is certainly how I bill it anyway.

Are you charging them overtime for those driving hours? That’s a 16 hour day.

_Brian

If you’ve no fixed base and travel to different locations your working day is considered started when you start driving from home.

It’s in legislation.

How good is your car ?? Is it suitable for lots of driving. Ideally something large and comfortable with automatic gearbox if it’s lots of city/traffic driving. Driving long distance in a poor or small uncomfortable car is exhausting compared to something suitable.

Lastly if it’s wearing you down and no end in sight then start looking now for a new job, being a lone parent must be a massive responsibility on top of an exhausting job, burning the candle at both ends usually doesn’t end well.

reg114

batman1 wrote: »

Employer is a small community based company that has offices spread over a wide area in sometimes remote places.

In charge of the entire geographic area, I am required to attend meetings at these satellite centres but I have no control over the meeting times as each centre has its own manager, bit like a franchise.

So in order for me to attend morning meetings I have to be away from home at 5am, maybe a 3 hour drive and then home again that night at maybe 8/9, and maybe a few hours driving in between. I have been driving up to 8 hours per day. This is not every day but around 3 days per week average.

I can feel this beginning to wear me down.

My employer is unsympathetic and has a 'suck it up' attitude. They won't provide overnight accommodation either and as I'm a lone parent I can't really do overnights as such.

I have looked for policies but can't find any for people driving. I assume that they have a duty of care towards me ?

I was aware that there would be travel when taking up the role but I never imagined there would be this much.

How to sales people manage ?

I really love the actual job and I know it will open doors for me down the line, but the driving time is exhausting me slowly, both physically and mentally.

I would be grateful for any shared experiences or advice

16 hour days 3 times a week, with 24 hours of driving, sorry to say it but you're a fatal car crash (owing to tiredness), waiting to happen. Do the responsible thing and change jobs before you become a road traffic statistic.

howdido

I'm sorry but with those kind of hours whats the point? I get that you are a lone parent and have bills but that's no life to be living! Find another job if your current employer isn't willing to negotiate!

batman1

Thanks.

I love the actual work and I consider myself very good at what I have achieved. If I could get the remote meetings by Skype or whatever then that is something I will look at.
My base office aren't very 'up to date' tech wise.

I do get time off in lieu for overtime but normally take like a Monday off or Friday when I build up enough. With kids etc I usually end up using toil when they're sick or have appointments. The joys....

I have considered moving on but I love my job if I could manage the travelling a bit better.

vandriver

'...I do get time off in lieu for overtime but normally take like a Monday off or Friday when I build up enough...'
From your description,it sounds like you should easily be eligible for at least one,if not both,of these days off every week.