I'm looking for a Mentor

Hi everyone.

I got my license half a year ago to start my career as a truck driver. Before this I have been washing dishes for the last 6 or 7 years. These last few months haven’t hallowed me to try to get a job as I got married, my wife had a baby, got a mortgage, etc. At the moment I’m working 40 hours in a restaurant but only Friday to Sunday, just so I have the time to try to find a driving job.

The thing is that, to be honest, even when I have my cat C license I don’t feel like I could do the job. I come from hospitality and I have no clue about anything in this trade. I wouldn’t know where to start… Is not a lack of confidence either, just a lack of knowledge. I like to do things right, I don’t want to screw up and put myself in a worse position.

For this reason I thought it could be a good idea to find somebody to show me the ropes. If any of you need somebody to give them a hand I’d be more than happy to do it only in exchange of having the chance of learning something about the job. I’m happy to do manual work or anything that can teach me about the industry and get myself a bit more prepared.

For instance, if you do removals it’d be great for me to do porter work or whatever you need. I’m a really good worker, with great stamina, I make good use of my time, I’m polite, quiet, zero problems person.

Please, let me know if you think I can help you or if you know somebody.

Cheers.

I felt the same way as you. But I was more self assured. I knew I didn’t have any idea but I cracked on anyway. When I first passed I posted on here asking things like how to open curtains and got ridiculed.

However… the best way to learn the job is to just have a go at it. Sign up with an agency and do some night shifts. You will soon work it out. Worst case scenario you balls up - but honestly, it won’t be that bad. You will be able to ask people. They might roll their eyes and get annoyed but the warehouse guy will probably want what’s in your truck so will have to help.

You will also realize what you like and what you don’t like. For me one drop and back to base is amazing. I get paid a minimum of 8 hours and if I can get it done in 3/4 hours I’m a happy man. People will claim that’s not possible. But my last three shifts have not gone over 4 hours. One of them I was presented with a box of chocolates after by the company as thanks.

It’s really not that hard. Once you have used one tail lift they are all similar. Once you have gone onto one bay they are similar. Once you have used one fridge etc…

I’d avoid anything involving handball or multidrop. Although that might be all the agency offers you. But keep your job until you are happy and confident enough to go for assessments for full time jobs. Agencies are not devils like some will say - they can try it on, but so can drivers. Find a good one and you could easily have an extra £300 coming in for 2/3 shifts a week.

None of us was born with the knowledge of truck driving,
When you do start just take your time and if your not sure of something, do as i still do after 26 years ask some one.

sammym:
When I first passed I posted on here asking things like how to open curtains and got ridiculed.

Tbf that was more a case of bad timing than anything else, you joined and asked that question at the height of the ‘troll fest saga’ that was taking place here at the time, and people understandably jumped to the trolling conclusion.

Us older lot can easily forget that even the simplest of tasks needed to be understood and implemented for the first time, I’m just more the sort of person that will try and figure it out for myself first and if I can’t then I’m not afraid to ask a colleague.

Where abouts are you ?

Do you know how to use a digital Tachograph or a manual Pump Truck (For moving Pallets) ?

There was a chap on here who got their first start on Brakes. From memory, he was paired up with a mentor or something for a while when he first started

Just wing it. Worst that can happen is you damage a company truck.

sammym:
… When I first passed I posted on here asking things like how to open curtains and got ridiculed. …

Hi sammym,

Reef has given you a good answer above, and I’d like to say that that should never have happened, especially in this Newbies’ Forum.

I wrote a post some years ago about how to open/close curtains, it’s in the links in ROG’s signature.

I’ve always believed that nobody was born with a knowledge of our industry, and that everybody has had a ‘first day’ …including me.

My first day was in 1976, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

dieseldave:

sammym:
… When I first passed I posted on here asking things like how to open curtains and got ridiculed. …

Hi sammym,

Reef has given you a good answer above, and I’d like to say that that should never have happened, especially in this Newbies’ Forum.

I wrote a post some years ago about how to open/close curtains, it’s in the links in ROG’s signature.

I’ve always believed that nobody was born with a knowledge of our industry, and that everybody has had a ‘first day’ …including me.

My first day was in 1976, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

Just to respond to both you and Reef. I don’t mind my original questions being ridiculed. I developed a thicker skin on here. BUT… I also learned that I could do anything.

I passed my class 2 on the second of January 2018, and my class one on the 16th April of the same year. In the time I’ve gone from being scared silly like the OP to being able to do anything that’s thrown at me (on class 2 at least - class 1 is still scary). I’ve done flat beds delivering steel on construction sites, fridges, multidrop, rdcs - I’ve done days and nights, I’ve done big companies and small companies.

Over that time I’ve worked out what I like. I no longer worry about my tachograph and how to deal with it. I no longer worry about how to strap a load. And I no longer lose sleep about reversing into seemingly impossible places (on class 2 again).

I’ll get there with class 1. But the truth is to the OP and anyone else on the newbie forum that you can do it, and it will all come together. I’ve had two bangs. Which is pretty extreme for 6ish months of driving… But I can now say with confidence that I can drive in any city in the UK at any time and unless something ridiculous happens I’ll be okay. I’ve done central London - which is actually a piece of cake compared to Manchester and part of Birmingham. I’ve also taken a 26ter in rush hour down residential streets. And it all came together.

The scariest hardest shift you will ever do is your first. After that, it starts to come together. The job is what you make it. I still really enjoy driving a truck. I enjoy being high off the ground. I enjoy seeing parts of the country I would not. I even enjoy seeing interesting things… Anyone who can see the lines of robots at the JLR site in Solihull working away manically and not be awed has something wrong with them. So take the good times with the not so good - sometimes it’s rubbish, but at other times you will love it.

Edit - I also want to say for all the ridicule I got from my ‘silly’ questions I had half a dozen blokes PM’ing me with their telephone numbers offering help. I didn’t actually call them as I was so focused during the very early days I forgot/couldn’t think. But you can get some incredible help and support on here.

Thanks for the answers.

Hyh:
Where abouts are you ?

I’m in Glasgow.

Do you know how to use a digital Tachograph or a manual Pump Truck (For moving Pallets) ?

I have watched some videos on youtube, but that’s about it.

There was a chap on here who got their first start on Brakes. From memory, he was paired up with a mentor or something for a while when he first started

Thanks for the info, I’ll have a look.

This is an interesting thread and ridiculing something about curtains is ridiculous. I still see the old hands struggling with them, especially closing them, slack flappy straps and curtains with gaps on the weatherstripping.

My own ridiculing came about from an electric pallet truck when I got stuck on the bridge. I walked right round a warehouse to go outside to raise my trailer suspension. Oh how they laughed! It’s easy when you know how!
[emoji23]

One of the best ways is to learn from the people working around you. Mostly, people are only too happy to be of assistance. If you cultivate a respectful and cheery relationship with drivers, warehousemen, forklift men, loaders and even office staff you should have little trouble getting assistance and picking up all the little tricks of the trade Robert

I’m not a driver (yet) but I imagine it’ll be very stressful to begin with. Getting used to lugging this massive lump of metal around British roads/towns/cities, manuvering, keeping track of driving hours and regulations, tacho entry, that’s not to mention all the other little things we’d no doubt have to learn and deal with, but isn’t it the same with any job in any industry? No one’s super confident starting out in a new job. Everything is new and intimidating, you have negative thoughts and can get stressed and anxious easily, but as time passes you get used to dealing with these experiences and that’s where confidence comes from. I guess everyone wishes they had a mentor or could have some trial period before starting a new job but that’s just not an option. You have to take that dive into it and do your best.

Matthew Clark in Glasgow are looking for a driver, multi drop delivering drinks to pubs/restaurants better paid than me for doing the same thing, hard graft and heavy work most of the time. Best job I ever had.

Perks of the job (where I work) some days I come home with a bag full of bottles that customers gave me for being top drayman, often get offered a pint but cant accept obviously as driving (have accepted as a second man, gross misconduct though ) its really not a hard job, can take a while to learn routes unless you know the areas and you will need to lift /carry some kegs sometimes but only the small 62kg babies and you may need to lift the medium sized kegs up a step (120kg) but theres two of you if you need help.

Do it, great job!

convivialitycareers.co.uk/vacan … hew_clark/

Thanks for the info. I have applied, fingers crossed.

If you can travel to Stirling, register yourself with recruitment solutions alba. I went to them as a new pass, no experience and they put me on jobs with other drivers until I was happy and comfortable going out by myself. They are good for new starts and very flexible. I worked for them alongside my main warehouse job, then I left the other job and now full time with them until it get a permanent driving job .

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Valentine75:
If you can travel to Stirling, register yourself with recruitment solutions alba. I went to them as a new pass, no experience and they put me on jobs with other drivers until I was happy and comfortable going out by myself. They are good for new starts and very flexible. I worked for them alongside my main warehouse job, then I left the other job and now full time with them until it get a permanent driving job .

I will definitely have a look. Thank you.

Benigno:
Hi everyone.

The thing is that, to be honest, even when I have my cat C license I don’t feel like I could do the job.

Cheers.

I felt like this too, but you just need to jump into it. My first two days were very stressful, but by my third day I was starting to get comfortable. I’ve just finished my first week driving Cat C and even after 5 days of driving I feel 1000% more confident than I did a week ago.

Just do it.

Well, I have grown the balls to just go for it and I got me a job in removals last week.

For those in the same situation as I was my advice is to take the advise given in this thread:

-Go for it
-Ask
-Ask again if still unsure
-Don’t mind the faces and comments they will give you
-Take it slow

After only a few shifts everything will look very different.

Benigno:
Well, I have grown the balls to just go for it and I got me a job in removals last week.

For those in the same situation as I was my advice is to take the advise given in this thread:

-Go for it
-Ask
-Ask again if still unsure
-Don’t mind the faces and comments they will give you
-Take it slow

After only a few shifts everything will look very different.

I’d recommend Brakes if there is one local, they were great with me and I didn’t have a clue, also had a great trainer who invited me in after passing to talk me through the tacho etc.

Benigno:
Hi everyone.

I got my license half a year ago to start my career as a truck driver. Before this I have been washing dishes for the last 6 or 7 years. These last few months haven’t hallowed me to try to get a job as I got married, my wife had a baby, got a mortgage, etc. At the moment I’m working 40 hours in a restaurant but only Friday to Sunday, just so I have the time to try to find a driving job.

The thing is that, to be honest, even when I have my cat C license I don’t feel like I could do the job. I come from hospitality and I have no clue about anything in this trade. I wouldn’t know where to start… Is not a lack of confidence either, just a lack of knowledge. I like to do things right, I don’t want to screw up and put myself in a worse position.

For this reason I thought it could be a good idea to find somebody to show me the ropes. If any of you need somebody to give them a hand I’d be more than happy to do it only in exchange of having the chance of learning something about the job. I’m happy to do manual work or anything that can teach me about the industry and get myself a bit more prepared.

For instance, if you do removals it’d be great for me to do porter work or whatever you need. I’m a really good worker, with great stamina, I make good use of my time, I’m polite, quiet, zero problems person.

Please, let me know if you think I can help you or if you know somebody.

Cheers.

I knew sod all about the transport industry when I passed. Like many others, I just went out and picked it up as I went.

The best advice I can give you is this:

If you ask a stupid question, you’ll be stupid for a minute. If you don’t ask, you’ll be stupid forever.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I still do it whenever I go to a new DC or customer site. Take notes and your golden the next time.

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