Evening Ladies & Gents, been lurking for a while and thought it’s about time to introduce myself.
Decided back end of last year to give up driving buses after 11 years and go for trucks instead. I went the all or nothing route and chucked my job in on 23rd of December, had Christmas off then started my class 2 training with a local company JLD on the 4th of Jan. Passed 1st time I did a bit of agency 7.5 and class 2 until I could get my class 1 booked in. Passed that 22nd of feb 1st time again and have been carrying on with the odd class 2 stuff.
I have found this short notice agency stuff a really good way of learning fast, seeing how different companies do stuff and get an idea of what I wanted to do. Silly things like doing all the paperwork right, working out how to open and shut the curtains, different types of tail lift etc. I learnt more in the first couple of hours out on my own than I could ever on the training courses!
I had a driving assessment this morning at Tesco in Didcot for class 1 through Driving plus, who are an “in house” Agent for Tesco’s. Seem a decent outfit (for agency ) Was well chuffed for the Tesco driver trainer to say to the agent “This guy’s pulling your leg telling you he has only driven class 1 while he was doing his test” Just had one of those mornings that everything felt right, traffic lights turned green as I approached, roundabouts clear, most of the road drive was on the same route I passed my test on in Abingdon. Even my blind side reverse just felt good.
Anyhoo, I start tomorrow morning on temp to perm with another driver to learn the company ropes. Really excited and not bricking it as much as I thought I would be (got that out of the way overnight last night before the assessment!!!) 4am start is going to be interesting though, havent seen that time at the beginning of the day for a looong while and definitely not sober
Looking to contribute some more on my journey and hopefully I can help out some people with learning from my enevitable mistakes
Cheers guys, seems quite a few have had enough of cargo talking back The one thing that I need to get my head around is not breaking your day down to the second! Half hour late is acceptable to Tesco and even built in to planning, where seconds late would prompt a barrage of whinging punters
Hope it all works out at Tesco’s pal, just don’t expect every day to go as well as your assessment!
And yes the load might not talk, but it doesn’t get itself off the vehicle, or restack itself when it falls over!
Good luck from yet another ex bus and coach driver ( 25 years ) turned trucker. There seems to be a bit of a pattern emerging here. I cant remember meeting anyone who’s done it the opposite way round !
Hmm, so, jacked it in without turning a wheel in anger. The agents for Tesco, Driving plus, at interview promised me 5am starts all week, now it has come to giving me my shifts for next week “we have too many on 4 and 5am starts, all we have is midnight to 02.30 starts, what time do you prefer” Umm cram it, thats night not days!
On the bright side, I called my old agent this afternoon and he has some ongoing class 2 pallet work starting next week. Also has a few temp to perm class 1 coming up with 0500 to 1000 start times in a month or so. Said crack on with the class 2 and get some more experience and I’m top of the list when the class 1 comes up
Lesson 1, most agents lie. Pick them up and chuck them as far as you can, trust them 1/4 of that distance
Lesson 2, if you find the rare agent that has proved trustworthy and values the good feedback he gets from your placements, stick with him
Fuzrat:
Hmm, so, jacked it in without turning a wheel in anger. The agents for Tesco, Driving plus, at interview promised me 5am starts all week, now it has come to giving me my shifts for next week “we have too many on 4 and 5am starts, all we have is midnight to 02.30 starts, what time do you prefer” Umm cram it, thats night not days!
On the bright side, I called my old agent this afternoon and he has some ongoing class 2 pallet work starting next week. Also has a few temp to perm class 1 coming up with 0500 to 1000 start times in a month or so. Said crack on with the class 2 and get some more experience and I’m top of the list when the class 1 comes up
Lesson 1, most agents lie. Pick them up and chuck them as far as you can, trust them 1/4 of that distance
Lesson 2, if you find the rare agent that has proved trustworthy and values the good feedback he gets from your placements, stick with him
And here endeth the lesson for Newbies with agencies!
Yes most will lie, but you’ll leave yourself pretty restricted if you only want to deal with one…
It’s better to deal with many and make it crystal clear that what you say is all that you’ll do.
Basically clearly let them know that bullcrapping you, will just result in no sale or commission, as you won’t be budged.
Yes treat those well that earn your trust, but trust no one to start with…
I guess I m the exception…I went the other way from fuel tankers to Calgary transit ( Canada) nine years now…both have the advantages but really miss the travel getting too old ( 68 this year)for minus 30 degree C fuel deliveries
Yup, the guy who I’ve been with doing ad hoc stuff for the last month or so used to be a driver himself so knows what its like. He was told from the off I dont do before 5 am, 6 or 7 is better. He did ask a couple of times but got knocked back and learnt. To be fair everything he has said he would do he has done. The driving plus lot just dont seem to know whats going on
Fuzrat:
The driving plus lot just dont seem to know whats going on
They know exactly what they are doing, they just now know you don’t bend. But don’t write them off though, as not all agencies have the same contracts. So stay in touch and see what else they have to offer… Accept that it’s just business, and they are looking/struggling to fill the slots, that for obvious reasons no one wants.
Storming off into the sunset only hurts one person!
At that particular depot they really dont, I went in for a shift on Wednesday at 0500, Transport office say “not got you on the system as working, take a seat and we’ll see what we’ve got for you” despite a text confirming my start time from DP. 5 mins later me and 4 others are “stood down” because they have put too many drivers in for that day. Get out of bed at 4 and drive in only to get sent home is not my kind of fun and shows a complete lack of organisation from the onsite staff at that depot. Other Sites may be different. Hey ho was only using it to get 6 months or so experience, their loss
0- 2.00 am best shift at Tesco less people in the office and on the road food served all night when I was doing that shift just one shop and back to depot easiest work and you get home early.
I did a bit of agency 7.5 and class 2 until I could get my class 1 booked in. Passed that 22nd of feb 1st time again 
) Was well chuffed for the Tesco driver trainer to say to the agent “This guy’s pulling your leg telling you he has only driven class 1 while he was doing his test” 
