New to this, mistake or not?

Hi guys, new to the forum and i’m after some reassurance
I’m due to take my theory early next month and already have a few days cpc under my belt. During the cpc and from some YouTube videos I’ve watched regarding wages and the hassle from vosa, there seems to be a lot of negativity around.
I currently work as a Tesco .Com driver and I’m paying to get my class 2 licence.
Someone tell me I’m not making a mistake, p.s I hate working at tesco

Before I had my class 2 license and then class 1 a year later… I was a self employed taxi driver.

When I passed my class 2 I got my first job at a breakdown recovery firm… did that for 18 months then went onto DHL nisa on their books. Didn’t work out well for me and after 2 months I realised breakdown recovery is what I enjoy as i was misskng the people I worked with and the job itself. so I managed to get my old job back straight away winner! .

Did I do a good thing to get my class 2? Oh yes! Love my new career.

It’s certainly not for everyone, but if you’re cut out for it there’s a decent living to be had. Yes, there are some bad employers (which industry hasn’t got them?) but generally it’s more than ok.

As for the negativity, I question the reasoning behind someone going to work every day doing a job that they clearly dislike. Why not train to do something else? The thought of getting out of bed every day to be miserable doesn’t sit well with me. In any trade or profession, there are confirmed moaners, and this industry is no different.

So make your mind up. If you think it’s for you, give it a crack. You may never look back.

Pete

There’s not much in the way of likes for a video that says, got pulled by VOSA, nothing wrong with my card or the truck, I was nice to them, they were Ok with them, went on my way.

Yes, you get idiot in any walk of life, there’s no obligation to join them.

FWIW, most of my drivers tell me this is the best job they’ve ever had, so they enjoy it. We are OK as an employer, others aren’t, but you aren’t a tree so move on if you aren’t happy.

If you hate doing Tesco.com deliveries…I’d imagine you’ll soon feel the same doing class 2 work as 90% of class 2 jobs are very similar multi drop work

if you can get pulled over in your car by plod,eat humble pie,and lie through your teeth to pass the attitude test,then getting a tug by vosa is just the same.
its only the tossers that post debates on youtube.
the scabbyest job in hgv cant be any worse that tesco deliverys,and if you start n agency then you can wreck everything,and just move on till you find the type of work that suits you.
if all else fails after a cpl years,if nothing suits you,go back to tesco delivering messages to single parents that cant be assed going to the shop or missing jeremy kyle.
theres plenty of dosh to be made driving and almost certainly better than being a white van man…

Cheers guys, put my mind at rest a bit there. I can’t wait to take my test and get started if I’m honest, suppose ito a case of taking what you can for the first year and going from there.

Maccer:
Cheers guys, put my mind at rest a bit there. I can’t wait to take my test and get started if I’m honest, suppose ito a case of taking what you can for the first year and going from there.

Most people struggle for the first year or so to get a job and then get a decent job, but you’ll get there. Everyone once was in your shoes.

As an employer the only tips I can suggest is if you don’t want to go down the agency route, turn up at people’s premises early with your kit ready to work and you might get a lucky break. Rest of the day go around places as well. If I’m looking for a driver it’s far easier to take someone on that you have already seen rather than advertise and have to wade through applications. Look smart and workmanlike, try not to look nervous and smile - in other words look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you look like someone that can be trusted to not ■■■■ off customers and fellow workers.

Good luck!

albion:
workmanlike

Is that against PC rules nowadays

Go for it…

If anything it will give you options. Many working folk don`t have the option.

As was said above if you don`t like a certain job…" move on"

In the extremely exciting CPC class they asked a group of 20 of us. “Who would recommend lorry driving” only two newly/young drivers put our hands up.
I can see why the older drivers won’t recommend it, specially after being in the job 20+ years.
But it really isn’t that bad if you just crack on with it and not moan about everything that happens on the road. What else would you do? Maybe a tradesman? That’s hard work, I like the easy life.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

ROG:

albion:
workmanlike

Is that against PC rules nowadays

Aaaargh, how could I, obviously I meant workpersonlike

LS222:
In the extremely exciting CPC class they asked a group of 20 of us. “Who would recommend lorry driving” only two newly/young drivers put our hands up.
I can see why the older drivers won’t recommend it, specially after being in the job 20+ years.
But it really isn’t that bad if you just crack on with it and not moan about everything that happens on the road. What else would you do? Maybe a tradesman? That’s hard work, I like the easy life.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

It’s in another thread and I have said it before but driving is one of the few jobs that will pay £30kish a year on only 2 weeks training. If you are made redundant or can’t take the time out to retrain it’s probably a decent option.

I was made redundant 18 months ago and now drive. Cost 3.5k start to finish (including a couple of retests) I had looked at retaining as a sparky, which I considered when leaving school but didn’t and the time to train and get the experience to earn that wasn’t viable.

I am sure driving isn’t what it was 20 years ago, but neither are most jobs. There are good jobs and bad jobs out there and as a new pass you will likely see mainly bad ones for a start but better offers come along with experience

Thanks for the further input chaps/ chapettes (pc in mind).
As it is I only drive 4 days a week in my current job, maybe a daft question, could I then do temp work as a hgv driver say 2 days a week to get experience/ get my foot in the door?

Maccer:
Thanks for the further input chaps/ chapettes (pc in mind).
As it is I only drive 4 days a week in my current job, maybe a daft question, could I then do temp work as a hgv driver say 2 days a week to get experience/ get my foot in the door?

If it’s the same 4 each week 2 one week and one the other, so long as you have long enough on the second week to pay back the first. If you do rotating shifts it depends but will need 45 hours rest every other week.

So I’d have to account for the 45 hour beak even though I drive a 3.5t box van?

Maccer:
So I’d have to account for the 45 hour beak even though I drive a 3.5t box van?

Yes because your other job would be classed as other work

kcrussell25:

Maccer:
So I’d have to account for the 45 hour beak even though I drive a 3.5t box van?

Yes because your other job would be classed as other work

You should be keeping records for the van work under UK domestic regs and those records are ok for the other work records for the EU regs

Cheers guys. So I might just try going 2 days one week and one the next until I can get a start somewhere.