I signed up to the forums towards the end of last year. The forums have been great. Got myself a wealth of knowledge and advice! Thank you!
About me: Currently a 33 year old Web Developer. Manage a team of 6 people. Have been with company 11 years. Loved my job until they restructured it about a year ago. Now it is a job I just go to and pay mortgage. No enjoyment. Same four walls. Same people. After reading some posts on here…it seems a few of us have gone through same thing.
I am the kind of lady that thrives on a challenge and my passion is driving. Not afraid to get hands dirty or get involved. Had my Car license since 2003 and got my Car racing license in 2011 (did some sprint racing around circuits in the UK, done a couple of 24hr races which I loved - with a team of other lady drivers!). Also drove my Smart Fortwo to Switzerland alone…that is how much I love driving!
In January this year I passed my Cat C test out of Guildford test centre. I was made up and I am still made up! Passed with 7 minors 1st time. Makes up for me passing Car test 2nd time.
Did my training with EP Training Services in Leatherhead, Surrey. Great bunch of people! One week 2-to-1 training with test on Friday. Went on the Manual. The week was challenging as my day car is a Smart Fortwo Auto. Hadn’t driven Manual in 6 months! Sharing the training with a lad who had driven vans and 7.5t work. He had more experience driving bigger vehicles than me. He passed with 6 minors so I am happy to get just 1 more minor!
Enjoyed first day and second day. Third day…had a few moments. Did mock test on Thursday - EPIC FAIL! Instructor did another Mock test and I passed. The test was the 8am test on the Friday morning. I did not sleep well before. Nerves kept happening. Hate it! Had a drive through Guildford town centre and a trip on the A3 and back through Woking. Had to go left on a roundabout…thought I clipped a curb…instantly thought I failed which relaxed me…so just drove back…did the reverse thinking it was practice for the next test…then…I am pleased to tell you you have passed! My instructor had a few tears in his eyes aswell after my shocking mock test the day before!
The plan since last October is to move to truck driving. But with mortgage has been difficult so has taken a while to figure out what to do. I am renting out my house in a few weeks, handing in my notice at work and joining some agencies. If agency work is few and far between I know I can do some freelance website work (I understand how this may affect drivers hours so will be careful). If it is not for me I will go back to websites but I need to get it out of my system. I know it will be hard but I love a challenge!
Early thoughts are Recovery Driver at the moment, although this may change. My sister’s car recently broke down and the AA sent out a female recovery driver which gave me the idea!
I will keep you updated with my progress and would love to hear from other female drivers and their experiences of beginning on this journey (pun intended!)
Hi vrs,welcome to the site.
And well done on passing your Class 2
Agency is like Marmite for some drivers,I like agency work (and Marmite)suits me down to a tee,each to their own and all that.
Get yourself signed up with a few one for you to try is First Call on 01483210130 ask for Catherine,she used to get Class 2 drivers in Sainsbury’s a while back,nothing ventured and all that.
Recovery driving would be a good way to get some experience too,I don’t think tacho rules apply on them,though not 100% sure about it.
Ever thought about going for your Class 1 ? Much more options for work etc:
Let us know how you get on.
Good luck.
be sure you can get work 1st . pointless in jacking everything in and finding nowt.
Where you looking at working from ?
what are you looking at doing ( shop work )
There’s a lass who’s not on here much now (Cargo Girl) she had a van she would use to get to ad from work etc but would at times Over night if she was doing any distance from home to work especially if it was finish late start early for the same company.
I signed up to the forums towards the end of last year. The forums have been great. Got myself a wealth of knowledge and advice! Thank you!
About me: Currently a 33 year old Web Developer. Manage a team of 6 people. Have been with company 11 years. Loved my job until they restructured it about a year ago. Now it is a job I just go to and pay mortgage. No enjoyment. Same four walls. Same people. After reading some posts on here…it seems a few of us have gone through same thing.
I am the kind of lady that thrives on a challenge and my passion is driving. Not afraid to get hands dirty or get involved. Had my Car license since 2003 and got my Car racing license in 2011 (did some sprint racing around circuits in the UK, done a couple of 24hr races which I loved - with a team of other lady drivers!). Also drove my Smart Fortwo to Switzerland alone…that is how much I love driving!
In January this year I passed my Cat C test out of Guildford test centre. I was made up and I am still made up! Passed with 7 minors 1st time. Makes up for me passing Car test 2nd time.
Did my training with EP Training Services in Leatherhead, Surrey. Great bunch of people! One week 2-to-1 training with test on Friday. Went on the Manual. The week was challenging as my day car is a Smart Fortwo Auto. Hadn’t driven Manual in 6 months! Sharing the training with a lad who had driven vans and 7.5t work. He had more experience driving bigger vehicles than me. He passed with 6 minors so I am happy to get just 1 more minor!
Enjoyed first day and second day. Third day…had a few moments. Did mock test on Thursday - EPIC FAIL! Instructor did another Mock test and I passed. The test was the 8am test on the Friday morning. I did not sleep well before. Nerves kept happening. Hate it! Had a drive through Guildford town centre and a trip on the A3 and back through Woking. Had to go left on a roundabout…thought I clipped a curb…instantly thought I failed which relaxed me…so just drove back…did the reverse thinking it was practice for the next test…then…I am pleased to tell you you have passed! My instructor had a few tears in his eyes aswell after my shocking mock test the day before!
The plan since last October is to move to truck driving. But with mortgage has been difficult so has taken a while to figure out what to do. I am renting out my house in a few weeks, handing in my notice at work and joining some agencies. If agency work is few and far between I know I can do some freelance website work (I understand how this may affect drivers hours so will be careful). If it is not for me I will go back to websites but I need to get it out of my system. I know it will be hard but I love a challenge!
Early thoughts are Recovery Driver at the moment, although this may change. My sister’s car recently broke down and the AA sent out a female recovery driver which gave me the idea!
I will keep you updated with my progress and would love to hear from other female drivers and their experiences of beginning on this journey (pun intended!)
Congratulations on passing your test, it’s a good feeling isn’t it.
Unfortunately most recovery firms require a class 1 license just incase a car towing decides to break down, I was lucky and managed to get a job collecting salvage cars and they put me through my class 1.
One company to look at may be copart, they have depots up and down the UK but it’s work like mine collecting salvage, which can be anything from small bumps to fully burnt out cars/vans, everyday is a challenge.
Hope you find something to suit, you will get rejected by a lot of companies but don’t let that put you off, show them what your made of!
Hi Vrs, I too have gone through a similar change.
I’m 41 years old and since leaving university I had a successful career in the NHS as a Psychiatric Nurse, eventually becoming a Manager of a Community Mental Health Team. I had been unhappy for some time with all the cutbacks, stealing pay rises, taking pensions and the ever increasing beauracratic crap the senior managers made to try and justify their jobs was eventually enough for me.
I wanted to be a HGV driver when I was younger but was advised to get a degree first, did that but my dream was always in the back of my mind.
I started the HGV process in the new year after lengthy conversations with my wife around paying Bills, Morgage and adapting our lives until I can earn a half decent wage (my ambition is to drive ADR arctics) and like you I still have another profession as a Nurse where I can earn good money until I get my experience built up.
I start my Class 1 training in 2 weeks with Elmet Driver Training based in Sherburn, only a 40 min drive from Where I live.
Although it’s been emotional and at times worrying about money I don’t regret the move, I left the NHS 3 weeks ago and have worked 5 days a week Driving 32 Tonne tippers, tiring with poor pay but it’s not for ever, always have a plan and a back up plan.
Good luck.
Kris
Hi vrs welcome and well done on the pass,if your thinking of recovery work was talking to an AA bod a few weeks back he said drivers with their own flatbed sub to the AA they either get flat rate for the hours or paid per job,he said they are on £500 a job.
Hello vrs, I’m a would be female trucker too. When I was younger I wanted to join the RAF or be a train driver, I did work on the railway’til I got made redundant. I then became a carer for my severly disabled then husband, and since then work has been eratic at best, and I’ve had some health problems of my own, but feel a return to work is now in order. Recently went for train driving assessment but wasn’t quick enough with “Bourdon Test”, but learning rules and regs no problem. I think it was Fiona fron the series Eddie Stobart Trucks and Trailers and Lisa Kelly from Ice Road Truckers made me think that "Hey maybe trucking isn’t just for men. Had medical on Thursday, have to send licence app to DVLA tomorrow, then I gather it’s wait and see.
Male or female, have to have nereves of steel to drive the Alaskan or Canadian ice roads. I do miss Rick Yemm from the latest series of Ice Road Truckers. Thanks Ramon.
PottyPott:
Hello vrs, I’m a would be female trucker too. When I was younger I wanted to join the RAF or be a train driver, I did work on the railway’til I got made redundant. I then became a carer for my severly disabled then husband, and since then work has been eratic at best, and I’ve had some health problems of my own, but feel a return to work is now in order. Recently went for train driving assessment but wasn’t quick enough with “Bourdon Test”, but learning rules and regs no problem. I think it was Fiona fron the series Eddie Stobart Trucks and Trailers and Lisa Kelly from Ice Road Truckers made me think that "Hey maybe trucking isn’t just for men. Had medical on Thursday, have to send licence app to DVLA tomorrow, then I gather it’s wait and see.
Good luck on your journey. I saw the Stobart programme when it was on a few years back and it was giving me ideas. )
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