Reflective Diary: 20-Hour Driver Placement at Rafa Transport LTD

This diary report reflects on a 20-hour work placement as a driver at Rafa Transport LTD. The initial days involved submitting documents and understanding the complex delivery schedule, which presented challenges in time management and schedule comprehension. The subsequent hours brought increased responsibilities, including using navigation apps and interacting with customers, leading to the development of problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. The final hours involved leadership responsibilities, such as guiding new intern drivers and maintaining electronic logs, enhancing team working and leadership skills. The experience provided valuable insights into the transportation industry, contributing to personal and professional growth. The document concludes with a list of references used.

Driver for Rafa Transport
LTD, 20hours work
placement as a driver

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Early 7 hours ..............................................................................................................................1
Next 6 hours ...............................................................................................................................1
Next 7 hours................................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4
Books and Journal .....................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Diary report is the reflective writing technique that allows a individual to demonstrate the
experienced of the particular scenario or the situation in particular time period. The present
report is the diary report for the demonstration of the experience of the Driver for the Rafa
transportation LTD, for the 20 hours work placement.
MAIN BODY
Early 7 hours
In the starting day of the placement as the Driver at the Rafa Transportation Ltd. was bit
nervous for me as it was the 20 hours placement to demonstrate my qualities and skills as a
driver in order to gain permanent placement at the company. On this first day my key
responsibility was to firstly submit all my personal documents in the HR department of the
company such as driving license and other areas of proof and verification of my identity as the
driver. Later I was asked to give my trail as the driver. I was given a schedule in which I had a
role of import and export the logistics in several areas of the city at particular time. As the driver
at the Rafa Transportation I was also asked to transport only cargo between the points of
departure to destination and collect the pay slips and collection slip from each location. I was
ordered to dispatch and drive 100 logistics items in first half of the day.
While addressing this responsibility I faced many difficulties in the early stage. The first
challenge that I encountered was to effectively understand and read the schedule provided to me
as it was complex in structure and I was not briefed earlier about what this schedule is all about.
This was very huge challenge for me as it consumed lot of my time in figuring out the pattern of
schedule that mentions multiple entities such as timeline, locations, clients name, order number
etc. but in this while I learned communication skills with other person in the team with that I was
able to mitigate my problem of understanding the schedule as well. This helped me to learn
about the pattern of schedule followed by the transportation organisations to brief the driver
regarding different deliveries. These hours was very chaotic but was very useful in understanding
my role and responsibilities as a driver and how I can become asset to the Rafa Transportation.
Next 6 hours
The next Hours was very crucial for me as in this I was assigned with more responsibilities and
duties in order to increase my workload which indirectly improved my skills and capabilities.
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During this Hours I was given different location to deliver the packages and cargo for which I
was required to use the route navigation apps which was highly new for me as the driver. Also I
was given duty to interact with the customers in professional manner regarding the next delivery
of order and collect the monetary amount as well. This was difficult and highly responsible duty
for me in which I can afford to do any mistake. During this phase of the placement I was feeling
overload with work, pressured and nervous for handling so much responsibilities in single time.
Also the major problem I faced during this period of time was regarding lack of knowledge of
assuage of the navigation app as this was completely new technology for me and I was not aware
about this app earlier.
Therefore, to understand each and every aspect of the app was essential in order to reach
to desired location on time without any flaw. But through training on this app I was able to
upscale my technical knowledge of using the navigation app. Also in this I developed my
problem solving and critical thinking skills. At the Rafa Transportation in this Hours I learned
how to work calmly under the pressure without disturbing the flow of work. This was very
beneficial for me in terms of gaining some new skills as the driver and also through navigation
app my driving skills where improved as was able to reach location timely without confusion of
the direction or destination.
Next 7 hours
In the last hours of my placement journey as the driver at the Rafa Transportation Ltd. I
which I served with the new responsibility by the manager of the company. I was appointed as
the team leader for the new intern drivers at the company and was asked to assist and guide them
in tour to the company and to brief them regarding their roles and responsibilities in the
company. I was also asked to maintain the electronic logs of these new drivers in order to track
their routes and deliveries. As the leader I was asked to provide the manager with the daily
maintenance sheet on checking the vans and notify them with any unusual issue or activity. This
Hours was full of responsibilities and all of which were new to my bag as I have never before
handled the whole team. In this Hours in starting I encountered problem in managing the 10
interns and to communicate effectively with them to have clarity of role and responsibility they
will be required perform at the Rafa Transportation Ltd. But this made me learn team working
skills and leadership skills.
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CONCLUSION
Thus, my overall experience as the driver for the Rafa Transportation was like roller
coaster ride with full of ups and downs making my whole journey and experience highly
memorable. This will be very useful for my future career as the professional driver as I have
learned many new skills which will help me to gain the future job. Also this whole placement
joinery of the 20 hours was most learning experience for me to understand the every minute
details of the Transportation industry and to perform there as the multi tasking person apart from
driver. Thus, this was very knowledge and memorable experience for me as an individual and
also for my future career growth.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Huang, Y and et. al., 2018. Eco-driving technology for sustainable road transport: A
review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 93, pp.596-609.
Martínez-Díaz, M. and Soriguera, F., 2018. Autonomous vehicles: theoretical and practical
challenges. Transportation Research Procedia, 33, pp.275-282.
Simoni, M.D and et. al., 2019. Congestion pricing in a world of self-driving vehicles: An
analysis of different strategies in alternative future scenarios. Transportation Research
Part C: Emerging Technologies, 98, pp.167-185.
Stević, Ž. and Brković, N., 2020. A novel integrated FUCOM-MARCOS model for evaluation of
human resources in a transport company. Logistics, 4(1), p.4.
Tang, C.S. and Veelenturf, L.P., 2019. The strategic role of logistics in the industry 4.0
era. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 129, pp.1-
11.
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