Morning gents, I’m very much a lurker on here taking in all the advice that is offered to everyone else! I passed my class c at the back end of last November, I’ve been looking for work on & off as I’m currently in a decent stable job so there was no hurry, had my first job interview yesterday and was offered the job about an hour after getting home, either I impressed them that much or they could be that desperate either way I’ve now got a new job starting in 2 weeks that will give me that all important experience most employers want/need/require! I think I’ve been dam lucky really that they’ve taken me on as a newbie, especially as I didn’t think my driving assement went as well as it could of, putting my tacho card in upside down for starters made my nerves even worse, but at least I didn’t hit anything, anyone and we got back to the yard in one piece! 
Good luck in your new job
Good luck and let us know how you get on [emoji106]
What line of work is it? Someone may be able to give you a few pointers.
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I don’t start until the 20th Feb, must ambit already a little worried/nervous! Going to be the new boy again! It’s working for Kay’s Cornwall who are owned by Gregory’s! It’s pallet work so shouldn’t be to bad I don’t think/hope! But yes any tips would be good!
Just remember your in charge of your truck not anyone else, if you can’t do something do not be afraid to ask, take it easy don’t rush around because everyone wants it yesterday, good luck
Oh I won’t be afraid to ask if I don’t know something, think that’s the most nervous as all my previous jobs I’ve always known what I’m doing!
Best of luck pal, and whilst you might think you didn’t do that well on your assessment, remember that they aren’t expecting a Newbie to be perfect. Just safe cautious and to know their limitations! Lewis Hamilton may be a good driver, but the truck and cargo needs to get to it’s destination in one piece… 
Lots of us on here have done pallet work mate, so ask away!
We’ll try not to take the ■■■■! 
Best of luck…
Evil8Beezle:
Best of luck pal, and whilst you might think you didn’t do that well on your assessment, remember that they aren’t expecting a Newbie to be perfect. Just safe cautious and to know their limitations! Lewis Hamilton may be a good driver, but the truck and cargo needs to get to it’s destination in one piece…Lots of us on here have done pallet work mate, so ask away!
We’ll try not to take the ■■■■!Best of luck…
Thank you,
Oh I’m very much used to having the ■■■■ taken, luckily I have quite big broad shoulders as well as a big chin well chin rolls!
Definitely will be asking “stupid” questions at some point! But like you’ve said everything has to arrive in one piece and that’s what I’ll be doing!
With Kays, and if you are going to be on multi drop pallet work, it may involve rural lanes, such as farms and deliveries in the middle of nowwhere.
My tips for are, the chance of damaging the vehicle increases due to low hanging trees and branches, so the mirrors get a good bashing, some trucks may have steel protection on the mirror covers .
Car drivers never give way in narrow lanes, and if on a short cut rat run, they will drive very fast, so try not to get the wheels stuck in the side verges when giving way to them .
Your routes may be timed drops, so before 9 am, before 12 pm, and a hand held scanner is used to track the drops and the customer will sign on the screen to confirm delivery .
When empty or still on route, you may have to do collections that go back to your depot, your pallets then go over night on their double decker night trunk run .
With farms, watch out for hidden machinery in the grass that will puncture your tires es es, if it is a hand ball drop, the farmer will be very conveniently at the market or has a bad back.
On some drops, i ring him , he says the tractor is in the barn, the keys are in it, unload it yourself .
Drops involving tail lift and a pump truck, the pump truck has small wheels, but customers expect five pallets of turf, compost, horse food pellets, tiles, paving slabs and stones to pulled over their shingle drive, up their garden path with uneven stones, or over a lawn .
Some pallets can weigh over a ton, so the delivery can be rejected if the unload is not safe for you.
If not sure, ring your depot, they liase with customer, never get in a heated argument with customers, they will twist what you said, and put a complaint in of driver abuse and swearing to get money knocked off the delivery .
Above all, do not rush, take photos of damaged goods, so they do not blame you, get in the WTD breaks, if it is a busy day, working on a break is illegal, but to get the job done, it is up to you.
Mind the back when pulling heavy pallets, if the pump truck rolls away, when on the tail lift or in the truck, let it go, rather than stop and hurt yourself .
Tell the customer not to stand in the back of the truck while unloading, they all want to be nosey and see what else is in there, and talking will distract you .
If you go on YouTube ‘luke c I’m a hgv’ did a good video on using digi tacho, worth a watch, helped me out
Ianf:
Evil8Beezle:
Best of luck pal, and whilst you might think you didn’t do that well on your assessment, remember that they aren’t expecting a Newbie to be perfect. Just safe cautious and to know their limitations! Lewis Hamilton may be a good driver, but the truck and cargo needs to get to it’s destination in one piece…Lots of us on here have done pallet work mate, so ask away!
We’ll try not to take the ■■■■!Best of luck…
Thank you,
Oh I’m very much used to having the ■■■■ taken, luckily I have quite big broad shoulders as well as a big chin well chin rolls!
Definitely will be asking “stupid” questions at some point! But like you’ve said everything has to arrive in one piece and that’s what I’ll be doing!
You’re going to lose the chin rolls mate!
Although pallets isn’t that hard the moment you utter the words ‘Kerbside delivery’, as you have to set yourself realistic targets with where a pallet truck will go, how close you can SAFELY get, how much you can level the suspension. AND most importantly, how heavy the F’ing pallet is! 
You are not replaceable, so never pull a heavy pallet on to the tail lift, always push. (If you pull, it can follow you off the edge and use YOU as a cushion! 
)
Know how to use the tail lift BEFORE you leave the yard!
And strap the CRAP out if it when you start, but do appreciate you can crush things…
THEN you learn what and how to strap well, as you do your apprenticeship from helpful experienced hands!
Good luck mate. I did a couple days agency work with a company that does the pallet network stuff and some things I picked up quickly is that you may find yourself looking at a road/ entrance to somewhere that just doesn’t seem to be conducive to the size or width of your truck. ‘Yeah, plenty of room for a truck at my address’ is the norm… If you really feel it’s going to cause damage to the truck and/ or the property area then phone it in, explain it to the office and let someone there make the decision (cover your own back) - I had to do that on one of my tips and when I phoned the office the guy said ‘oh yeah, that pallet should have been broken down and put onto a transit for delivery as the other guy who tried to deliver it yesterday ripped up the lawn at the side of the road and backed out again, customer not happy about that’.
Make sure you got a pallet truck, most tips I had, there was no forklift about… also, make sure there is an old car tyre in the back or at least something you can lash the pallet truck down or secure it with as when you’re empty it’s not ideal to be turning it upside down to stop it sliding all over the place.
If there is a remote option for the tail lift, make sure it’s with the wagon and works… remotes make life a lot easier.
Do your vehicle checks properly, especially be on the lookout for damage to lights etc. the previous driver could well have had a dent somewhere or broke light clusters, scraped door panels etc. and make sure the office are aware before you leave the yard.
Basically, cover your own mate.
Good general advice above, along with checking you having a wander lead, and a car tyre to stow the pallet truck in along with an internal around it’s neck throttling it. But I found the base of a heavyweight traffic cone better. Did the job as well as a tyre, but you didn’t need to physically lift the big wheels of the pallet truck into it.
Thank you all very much for the advice and it is all very appreciated and taken onboard, but yes arse covering and just take my time! Very good point about pushing and pulling onto the tail lift as it’s not something I’d even thought of! I definitely will be figuring out how it works before leaving!
I will also watch that video you have suggested, I’ve kind of got the basics I think! I’m probably coming across abit thick but hey if I don’t ask I won’t know!
Oh and I’ll get rid of my chins thanks a good bonus
Tuckert92:
If you go on YouTube ‘luke c I’m a hgv’ did a good video on using digi tacho, worth a watch, helped me out
Thanks for watching