Anyone worked for this agency in Cardiff? How are they?
I have no driving experience and only have my class 2 license. I am a bit sceptical as I’ve heard that I will probably just be given keys to a vehicle and told to crack on but with no experience at using tacho, loading/unloading may be a bit difficult.
Anyone else experience this on their first day?
jaustin123:
Anyone else experience this on their first day?
You betcha. My first shift after passing my test: big logistics company, guy behind the desk, didn’t even check my licence/DQC nor even ask if I had a digicard (17 years ago not every driver had one), he just looked up for 30 seconds and said " Here’s the paperwork, grab the keys to the next rigid that comes in" and that was the sum total of my interaction with them.
Doesn’t matter who the agency is, this is what you’d find most places. It’s worth signing up with multiple agencies, don’t ties yourself just to one because most of them care more about having ■■ number of drivers on their books rather than finding work for everyone.
And remember, as one TN member said previously, you’re paid from the neck down, so don’t be shy about letting the client sort your problems out, especially when they’re dictating your route.
Best of luck.
Otherwise known as "Throwing yourself in at the deep end " Usually the best way to learn , granted its not for everyone , some like to have their hands held , be told what to do , when to do it , when they can stop for a toilet break etc etc etc . Look at it this way - if they don’t spell it out to you , they can’t blame you when it all goes wrong . Don’t be scared to ask questions and admit you haven’t a clue .
Have fun .
These lot have a Cardiff depot and are after a full time class 2 driver.
smiths-gloucester.co.uk/abo … bs-smiths/
Scroll down the page to the advert for Cardiff, it says they want experience but when I worked there a few years ago they gave newbies a chance, would send you out with another driver for a few days etc on each truck as and when to learn the ropes/controls of skip lorries, 8 wheel tippers etc.
Get yourself on youtube and find out just how to use the digi card. Its not difficult really but you are doing it for the first time. Also things like using curtains or tail lifts its all there for you on the net. Try to find out all that you can from other drivers in the yard. Most likely the office wont be able to help as they just will not know about trucks. Good luck and let us know how it goes for you.
In these times crack on.Do you want to spend time with someone you dont know.Learning on your own makes you a good driver.
jaustin123:
I am a bit sceptical as I’ve heard that I will probably just be given keys to a vehicle and told to crack on but with no experience at using tacho, loading/unloading may be a bit difficult.
So pretty much the same as the rest of us. Was even worse back in the day because there was absolutely no learning about drivers hours whereas now it’s part of the theory test. That and the internet didn’t really exist either so there wasn’t any just googling the information.
You learned by asking and by getting it wrong and figuring it out.
Lorry driving is a job where there’s absolutely no problem asking about stuff but if you need hand holding for every little thing and are incapable of working some stuff out for yourself you need to look elsewhere as there are going to be many, many times in your working life as a lorry driver when a situation presents itself and the only person who is going to resolve it is you as there’s no phone a friend and the office is 200 miles away, not that anyone is in it because they’re still at home in bed.
Some advice when you’re on agency…
When you first go to a customer get a phone number off them to ring in the event of any breakdowns, blowouts or problems especially if you’re going to be working before/after the office is shut.