Another newbie, and 'stupid' questions

Hello all. I’m new to this forum and from what I’ve seen so far, I think it’ll be a great help.

I’ve never driven an HGV/LGV but am looking for a career change and just love driving and always fancied it as a way of making a living. I’m North West based, in my thirties with no formal driving experience as such, but many thousands of hours spent hopping around the country working as a consultant/technician in both cars and light vans. I also hold a basic pilots license as that was my real intention, but the training’s just too expensive to complete to commercial level (makes LGV training look a real bargain!), and there is a serious lack of work anyway, hence my rather cautious questions below.

I was kinda hoping to find a ‘sticky’ on all the ‘daft’ questions newbies always ask. I know from other forums (on other subjects such as flying training) that people get annoyed at answering the same queries over and over, but here goes anyway (please don’t flame me!):

1. As a new LGV C holder with no experience would I be likely to actually find work - i.e. what is the state of the industry? The posts I’ve already read mention driver shortages and EU fundered training so I’m kind of optimistic about this first, and most important question. Is it worth the outlay?

2. Does the majority of work tend to be permanent, fixed term contract or casual? I’m assuming the latter for low experienced drivers, and don’t really have a problem with that so long as there’s areasonable chance of making a regular living.

3. Is there a big regional variation in amounts of work and rates? Is being in the NW a disadvantage.

4. If you experienced drivers (say of 5 or 10 years) were starting out again now, would you still go for a driving career? Is it an industry where many/most are happy or are people clammering to ‘get out’?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. I’ve got the feeling that this might be the first of many posts on here…

1st of all welcome to truckNet!

I was kinda hoping to find a ‘sticky’ on all the ‘daft’ questions newbies always ask. I know from other forums (on other subjects such as flying training) that people get annoyed at answering the same queries over and over, but here goes anyway (please don’t flame me!):

trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=10

1. As a new LGV C holder with no experience would I be likely to actually find work - i.e. what is the state of the industry? The posts I’ve already read mention driver shortages and EU fundered training so I’m kind of optimistic about this first, and most important question. Is it worth the outlay?

Most agencies are willing to take on new drivers, you may at first have to take the old waggon out and expect less pay to some more of the experienced drivers, but you should not have a problem getting work.

2. Does the majority of work tend to be permanent, fixed term contract or casual? I’m assuming the latter for low experienced drivers, and don’t really have a problem with that so long as there’s areasonable chance of making a regular living.

They is a shortage of drivers in the UK so they is a mixtture of all of them but as before best chance is to start on agency 1st, quite a few drivers get full time jobs as a result of working for a company via agency.

3. Is there a big regional variation in amounts of work and rates? Is being in the NW a disadvantage.

Yep they is a huge variation from £5 to £15 a hour depending on the job and area!

4. If you experienced drivers (say of 5 or 10 years) were starting out again now, would you still go for a driving career? Is it an industry where many/most are happy or are people clammering to ‘get out’?

Yep I would, lots of reasons for and against, some say it has to be in your blood, but its not in mine. its a good job if you can find the right employment

Thats my two peneth worth

knobby:
Hello all. I’m new to this forum and from what I’ve seen so far, I think it’ll be a great help.

hello, good evening and welcome

knobby:
I’ve never driven an HGV/LGV but am looking for a career change and just love driving and always fancied it as a way of making a living. I’m North West based, in my thirties with no formal driving experience as such, but many thousands of hours spent hopping around the country working as a consultant/technician in both cars and light vans. I also hold a basic pilots license as that was my real intention, but the training’s just too expensive to complete to commercial level (makes LGV training look a real bargain!), and there is a serious lack of work anyway, hence my rather cautious questions below.

I was kinda hoping to find a ‘sticky’ on all the ‘daft’ questions newbies always ask. I know from other forums (on other subjects such as flying training) that people get annoyed at answering the same queries over and over, but here goes anyway (please don’t flame me!):

Please ask loads of stupid questions. We all like a laugh and we’ve all probally asked the same stupid questions

knobby:

1. As a new LGV C holder with no experience would I be likely to actually find work - i.e. what is the state of the industry? The posts I’ve already read mention driver shortages and EU fundered training so I’m kind of optimistic about this first, and most important question. Is it worth the outlay?

Most places have this 2 years experience and 25 years old requiement, but many places have motors standing and will relent and give a new driver a chance. The jobs are there although you might have to knock on a few dorrs to get a start.

knobby:
2) Does the majority of work tend to be permanent, fixed term contract or casual? I’m assuming the latter for low experienced drivers, and don’t really have a problem with that so long as there’s areasonable chance of making a regular living.

It really depends on what you want to do? Some agencies will give you a chance and if the company they send you to like you, they may take you on permently. You can also get work with a haulier and not worry about agencies. It really comes down to trying things out and finding what suits you.

knobby:
3) Is there a big regional variation in amounts of work and rates? Is being in the NW a disadvantage.

Yes big variations even in the same area, but normally the best money is paid near the motorway networks, where the big distributions centres are based.

knobby:
4) If you experienced drivers (say of 5 or 10 years)

that’ll be me plus a couple

knobby:
were starting out again now, would you still go for a driving career? Is it an industry where many/most are happy or are people clammering to ‘get out’?

Yep it sort of gets into your blood. The only advice is try it or try and get a trip out in a truck. Also don’t quit because you don’t like your first job, there are many different types of truck driving, so try something else if the first job doesn’t fit.

knobby:
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. I’ve got the feeling that this might be the first of many posts on here…

knobby:
Hello all. I’m new to this forum and from what I’ve seen so far, I think it’ll be a great help.

Welcome to the forums. Now for the realistic answers…

I’ve never driven an HGV/LGV but am looking for a career change and just love driving and always fancied it as a way of making a living.

That was me about 5 years ago (27 now) and I love driving (decent) wagons but the novelty wears off after a while and it just becomes a job like any other along with the annoying bits just like any other job too. You can make a living doing it, but you won’t have burning holes in your pockets unless you’re prepared to do some leg-work.

I’m North West based

That’s a bit random to help on the wage front. What town are you in or near?

in my thirties with no formal driving experience as such, but many thousands of hours spent hopping around the country working as a consultant/technician in both cars and light vans. I also hold a basic pilots license as that was my real intention, but the training’s just too expensive to complete to commercial level (makes LGV training look a real bargain!), and there is a serious lack of work anyway, hence my rather cautious questions below.

I was kinda hoping to find a ‘sticky’ on all the ‘daft’ questions newbies always ask. I know from other forums (on other subjects such as flying training) that people get annoyed at answering the same queries over and over, but here goes anyway (please don’t flame me!):

1. As a new LGV C holder with no experience would I be likely to actually find work - i.e. what is the state of the industry? The posts I’ve already read mention driver shortages and EU fundered training so I’m kind of optimistic about this first, and most important question. Is it worth the outlay?

Realistically, with no experience and only a class 2 holder you will struggle to find an agency that will give you work. Sure, they’ll take you on their books because it looks good, but what you want is the work - and nice and easy to start off with. Realistically, class 2 agency work in the north west is going to be around the £6/hr mark with £9/hr after 8hrs. Not great money in my opinion. If you were to shell out for your class 1 then add a quid, quid + half on top of that £6/hr.

If you do some leg-work, you will eventually find an agency that will take on new drivers but these are few and far between in my experience. You might want to try a company like Robert Wiseman dairies that take on newbies although you might find yourself tied in to a contract which you can’t escape from for a period of time unless you get your wallet out.

2. Does the majority of work tend to be permanent, fixed term contract or casual? I’m assuming the latter for low experienced drivers, and don’t really have a problem with that so long as there’s areasonable chance of making a regular living.

For newbies you’re definitely nest starting on agency work as you will get a cold response from the majority (if not all) of the companies you try for a job without any experience. They will quote to you “2yrs experience” repeatedly…

3. Is there a big regional variation in amounts of work and rates? Is being in the NW a disadvantage.

For the best money you want to be in Northants and surrounding areas, Swindon area, London, South-east. These are where all the big supermarket regional distribution centres are alongside the motorways and they all fight for the same limited number of drivers. As far as I understand, a lot of the major players in these areas are paying circa £25000/yr for class 1 drivers on a 48hr working week. Get on a decent agency down there and you can add £10-15000 on top of that. Next time you’re in a truck-stop pick up a copy of the free Truckstop News and you’ll see what I mean. Many agencies offer accomodation for drivers from up north and regularly have drivers flying down from Scotland for the week etc. There’s good money out there if you go and spend some time digging.

4. If you experienced drivers (say of 5 or 10 years) were starting out again now, would you still go for a driving career? Is it an industry where many/most are happy or are people clammering to ‘get out’?

There’s no doubt about it that the job has been getting worse in terms of the haulage rates, wages and general respect and treatment for the drivers over that period and I don’t see it improving any time in the distant future although the WTD coming in next year should notch the wages up a bit and bring the long hours down too. My father was a trucker and I think I’ve got diesel in my blood so yes, I’d still be doing the same job.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. I’ve got the feeling that this might be the first of many posts on here…

No worries. In terms of work availability, you would be well advised to get your bendy license. There’s hoodles of class 1 work about.

Good luck.

hi knobby,welcome to trucknet i hope you get the answers your looking for robk has given you the run down of things from his experiance,and i can’t argue with that as he’s pretty much spot on.you have to do the leg work to get a good agency that will pay proper money.and it would assit you better if you got class1 as there is more and better choice of work.with class2 it’s going to be mostly multi-drop delivery/collection work you’ll get hit with.as class1 it can range from tramping(away all week),truncking ( straight change of trailer and return to depot) or a little multi-drop.but a far better choice than only having class2.(no disrespect to class2 drivers) just one little tip knobby…if you get taken on set yourself a distance from your house to where your prepared to travel to get to a company,as you don’t want to be spending to much on fuel and end up costing you.the idea is to make cash not through it away on fuel.remember its a round trip you’ll be doing.so the closer to home the better.

good luck

Hello, dont be afraid to ask what you think are stupid questions.I have been driving for nearly 30 years and still ask stupid questions.
I cannot add much to the above excellent answers, but i would say go for it it is always handy to have.Good luck

Hi Knobby, welcome to TruckNet UK.

We do have an FAQ section concerning driving in the Drivers Gearbox section. Each area and even town in the UK is different when it comes to type and availability of work, so we try to answer each question as it is asked. Also, although we might laugh at it, we don’t really believe in stupid questions. Everyone started off as a newbie and had to ask the questions. We often think that the answer is common sense and shouldn’t need asking, but when we think back we also asked the same question, or were told the answer during some training 10 years, or whatever, ago.

Hi Knobby,

Looks like me and you are in the same boat!!!

I gave up on the flying mission due to cost and this was my second choice.

I also live in the North West and I’m looking at starting my training within the next month (hopefully.)

Maybe we can get a reduced rate at Stockport HGV training center If we sign on for training at the same time lol.

GMANSCAN

knobby:
4) If you experienced drivers (say of 5 or 10 years) were starting out again now, would you still go for a driving career? Is it an industry where many/most are happy or are people clammering to ‘get out’?

Knobby i am trying to get out of driving and find a new career, recently i started working in a transport office so i have become the ENEMY to some drivers, but as for my H.G.V. licence its always there should i need it so go for it and just think if you change your mind down the road its there to fall back on.

I think most of your questions have been answerd Knobby, but just one thing. Why should we flame you for asking a daft question? I did it myself this morning. “'Scuse me. Where do I put the oil in this? I assume it’s in their, but it looks a wee bit clean for it.” . Made a prat of myself, but imagine putting the oil where the water should go . Don’t worry about it .

Ian.

welcome knobby to trucknet to start with mate your questions or “stupid questions” as you put them are not stupid…no question you don’t know the answer too is stupid mate

welocme knobby.

You may not like driving after you start driving trucks

Thanks for all the advice everyone, and sorry it’s took me so long to get back on here.

Still got lots of idea going around in my head about what I want to do - haven’t decided on this or any other career as yet. Still, if I do, I’ll be back here asking where you lot recommend to do my training etc. (or more to the point, where to avoid), and what the pitfalls are.

Might try to blag a couple of days actaully in the cab with someone at some point, but I’m working 7 days a week at the moment so doesn’t look like I’ll have time for a while.

Thanks
Gary