Hi Chaps and Chapesses!
I’m based in Coventry and just passed my Class 2 (Rigid), now looking for work. After about 300 applications and only 3 interviews (FAR too much handball and VERY long hours!), I’m beginning to lose heart! I thought there was s’posed to be LOADS of jobs out there?!!
Anyway, any advice on how to get started in the business would be great. Just wanna drive a truck, and get PAID for it, y’know?
Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
There ARE loads of jobs out there. Mostly involving long hours and loads of handball.
The easy, and well paid jobs are not surprisingly offered to and taken by drivers with a proven track record.
And no one is in the business of “just driving trucks”. Just about the only reason trucks are driven, is to earn money, by delivering goods.
Advice?
#1 Walk
#2 Jog
#3 Run
And welcome to TNUK. 
You want to know how to get a start? Take one of the jobs you’ve had an interview for, you can’t be too picky as a newbie. Use it for experience and move on.
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Thanks for the honest replies, chaps!
All good info and taken on board.
I’ve had a couple of interviews but offered nothing. Got another on Monday - if I’m offered, I’ll take it. (And maybe I’ll walk, jog and run too!) 
SheldonWhyte:
Thanks for the honest replies, chaps!
All good info and taken on board.
I’ve had a couple of interviews but offered nothing. Got another on Monday - if I’m offered, I’ll take it. (And maybe I’ll walk, jog and run too!)
Good luck.
Take what you can without compromising your safety, and protecting your hard won licence.
Especially with class 2 a lot of handball seems to be part of it. Long hours for all!
Get any start, get experience then look for the better numbers.
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Sign on with an agency. You will get a mix of the good and the bad. Save up. Get a class 1, get a job trunking or as a box jockey. You will spend most of your time “just driving a truck “
jbaz73:
Sign on with an agency. You will get a mix of the good and the bad. Save up. Get a class 1, get a job trunking or as a box jockey. You will spend most of your time “just driving a truck “
Thanks jbaz73. Much appreciated!
Have you thought about class 2 trade plating? That would be mostly driving. Skip work? Again mostly driving. Sameday courier work? Tippers? Road sweepers?
Not so long ago I was doing trunking on a 7.5, there are plenty of types of work that involve little to no handball
Experience is always going to hamstring you though, that’s why I suggested signing on with an agency and doing a mixture of work for a while, say maybe 6 months? Then when you are at the interview, you can say confidently that you have done the job (if that’s a lie, say you only did it for a few days temp) a bit of research and you will have the basics of the job
I would suggest from personal experience that driver hire is a good place to start, I know they don’t pay the best money, but they keep you busy and mix up the work. I did everything you can name with dh
I’ve just spotted that you’re from Coventry, I’m from Leicestershire and my indeed gives me loads of jobs in Coventry, too far for me but you should have no problems
Consider ‘out of the normal’ jobs too. I did driving the bin lorry for a while, that was pure driving. I drove a 12t library van for a bit, lovely easy runs through rural villages. Go here, park up for 20 mins, on to the next stop. It was fantastic, I only did 4 1/2 days, 12 o’clock finish on a Wednesday 9-4 all other days, every weekend off. Good money for what it was too.
The point I am making is I never would have thought of a job like that. It’s only because I was agency that the job found me. I really enjoyed the job, so they left me on it and the customer was asking for me by name. Limping can work really well, I only wanted 3 days part time at the time and few companies would accommodate that, so limping worked perfectly for me.
jbaz73:
Consider ‘out of the normal’ jobs too. I did driving the bin lorry for a while, that was pure driving. I drove a 12t library van for a bit, lovely easy runs through rural villages. Go here, park up for 20 mins, on to the next stop. It was fantastic, I only did 4 1/2 days, 12 o’clock finish on a Wednesday 9-4 all other days, every weekend off. Good money for what it was too.The point I am making is I never would have thought of a job like that. It’s only because I was agency that the job found me. I really enjoyed the job, so they left me on it and the customer was asking for me by name. Limping can work really well, I only wanted 3 days part time at the time and few companies would accommodate that, so limping worked perfectly for me.
WoW! TONS of things to think about! \Thanks again for all yer help. I’m signed up with Indeed so I’ll keep pushing 'em! Thanks!!
Good luck with this new job!
I remember my first one and still smile, I was so young and shy Now I don’t get why I was like that 