New HGV career change

[andyg2629]

Truckerian99:

Andyg2629:
Thanks for your views 8wheels & Truckerian99

It seems that after reading a lot of other posts on this forum there is a lot of truckers that recommend against HGV driving and everything they say is negative , now this could be the job that there in or just the individual is just negative about everything and everyone.

Well, maybe a little negative after so many years, but I am still doing it (although partly because I can do nowt else) and it did pay for cars, holidays, houses, weddings etc etc. It is a lot easier to drive now (power steering, auto boxes, better roads/shorter journey times), but in many respects it is a lot worse (young managers who cannot drive cars calling the shots, computer modelled runs that do not transfer to real world operations, terrible trucks that cannot react to driver or road conditions, ‘green’ ideals that actually do more damage than good, terrible inefficiency based on managerial arrogance, computer stupidity and cost cutting that works out more expensively). The moneyis comparatively worse that in decades gone and a job for life with a good small firm has beenlost to soulless multinationals.

You seem to have made up your mind to ‘go for it’, but some of us think that your hopes for the future should be mixed with a pinch of reality. I can be honest because at my age, with my experience, very little if these negatives affect me any longer, but they WILL affect you on an hourly and daily basis.

Haha…Sounds like the place I’m working now!!

[8wheels]

In the past iv used overhead cranes up to 15t, a 7.5t side loader and a 9t mobile crane so i now the physics of cranes, slinging hand signals but they were never attached to a HGV…Dammit

Right OK, you have now just made yourself more experienced than you realise. Some knowledge, understanding and experience of a similar type of operation means that you would have some natural ability and judgement. It’s worth mentioning, someone might be willing to give you a chance / trial / test drive to see if you have potential.

Whilst a lot of drivers will try and talk you out of the job, it’s a good skill to have and shouldn’t see you out of work.

Just before I was 30 I was working for my family firm in a small timber fencing business, I did the financial and admin bits and also used a 7.5t for deliveries and occasional FLT in the yard. One day I had a massive row and decided my future was going to be elsewhere, with no real qualifications I decided to self fund my class 2 and seek work as I would be buying a trade.

Someone offered me a test drive on an ERF 4 wheeler with Hiab delivering steel, I got the job and left the woodyard. The job fell through after leaving as the bloke decided that I couldn’t actually do the job as I had no Hiab ticket, despite that being made clear from the start and he was going to provide it. I’d gone away with my wife and kids for the weekend and on Friday evening had left one job and had no new job.

I called an agency I’d done a couple of shifts for and was offered temp to perm starting Monday doing multidrop foodservice. I did that for 9 months and learnt how to drive a truck and found my way around London. It wasn’t the work I wanted but with experience of driving an 18t around London and a bit of FLT experience I managed to get a job with a piling firm driving an 8w hiab.

That job went sour and they put me out of work after 9 months, so I went around door knocking dropping off some cards I’d made up. Within a week I’d landed a job on a scrap metal firm driving an 8w twin skip truck, never done skips before but could handle a 12m long 8w.

Within a couple of months a plant hire company I’d dropped a card at called me and asked me to go and visit, I went armed with some pictures from piling firm moves and told them my experience moving piling rigs. Very little experience on excavators but similar relevant experience and keen to learn did the trick.

14 years later, I’m still there having gained my class 1 licence, STGO CAT2 experience, CPCS Hiab ticket, NPORS loader securer. I’ve since moved diggers, dumpers, forklifts, dozers, loading shovels, tractors, unimogs, boats, fire engines, dustcarts, all manner of odd things with the crane including Christmas trees, a red telephone box, a WWII flak gun, various tanks including a Sherman and even the remnants of a Russian Mig23

Each of those job moves has involved only a small amount of relevant experience and faith and confidence from the new employer that I could do the job.

So whilst you might not think your experience is relevant, don’t discount it.

[andyg2629]

8wheels:

In the past iv used overhead cranes up to 15t, a 7.5t side loader and a 9t mobile crane so i now the physics of cranes, slinging hand signals but they were never attached to a HGV…Dammit

Right OK, you have now just made yourself more experienced than you realise. Some knowledge, understanding and experience of a similar type of operation means that you would have some natural ability and judgement. It’s worth mentioning, someone might be willing to give you a chance / trial / test drive to see if you have potential.

Whilst a lot of drivers will try and talk you out of the job, it’s a good skill to have and shouldn’t see you out of work.

Just before I was 30 I was working for my family firm in a small timber fencing business, I did the financial and admin bits and also used a 7.5t for deliveries and occasional FLT in the yard. One day I had a massive row and decided my future was going to be elsewhere, with no real qualifications I decided to self fund my class 2 and seek work as I would be buying a trade.

Someone offered me a test drive on an ERF 4 wheeler with Hiab delivering steel, I got the job and left the woodyard. The job fell through after leaving as the bloke decided that I couldn’t actually do the job as I had no Hiab ticket, despite that being made clear from the start and he was going to provide it. I’d gone away with my wife and kids for the weekend and on Friday evening had left one job and had no new job.

I called an agency I’d done a couple of shifts for and was offered temp to perm starting Monday doing multidrop foodservice. I did that for 9 months and learnt how to drive a truck and found my way around London. It wasn’t the work I wanted but with experience of driving an 18t around London and a bit of FLT experience I managed to get a job with a piling firm driving an 8w hiab.

That job went sour and they put me out of work after 9 months, so I went around door knocking dropping off some cards I’d made up. Within a week I’d landed a job on a scrap metal firm driving an 8w twin skip truck, never done skips before but could handle a 12m long 8w.

Within a couple of months a plant hire company I’d dropped a card at called me and asked me to go and visit, I went armed with some pictures from piling firm moves and told them my experience moving piling rigs. Very little experience on excavators but similar relevant experience and keen to learn did the trick.

14 years later, I’m still there having gained my class 1 licence, STGO CAT2 experience, CPCS Hiab ticket, NPORS loader securer. I’ve since moved diggers, dumpers, forklifts, dozers, loading shovels, tractors, unimogs, boats, fire engines, dustcarts, all manner of odd things with the crane including Christmas trees, a red telephone box, a WWII flak gun, various tanks including a Sherman and even the remnants of a Russian Mig23

Each of those job moves has involved only a small amount of relevant experience and faith and confidence from the new employer that I could do the job.

So whilst you might not think your experience is relevant, don’t discount it.

Great story mate, you’ve built my confidence a bit more.
Thanks

[danbabirecki]

I only got my Class 2 a couple of years ago (I’m now 45). COVID-19 has made life harder to get a permanent job in my experience. I had 2 long stints with good agencies and it was only the pandemic that scuppered them both.
Had an odd day today as had 2 interviews and was offered both jobs there and then. I’d have taken either but I’m shallow and went with the one that pays better. The other company came across great. It really is about timing and what works for you.
Agency work has given me some variety and it helps point you in the direction that suits. I like tramping but that’s not for everyone. If you like driving and are not afraid of graft it’s a good career. If you do, get a good HGV satnav. Well worth the money.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jaykun85]

im the same as the OP I was bored sitting infront of a computer all day, and when the lockdowns started I was getting depressed being at home all the time with work and then trying to just relax, so I decided I wanted to try my hand driving the trucks. My dad used to do it and used to go out with him on the odd job he had.

So to get out the office I did my FLT and now working as a Fork lift driver which is paying my way through my HGV so* fingers crossed ill have something, bonus is the agency im working for at the moment also does HGV so I can get work on either with them once I pass.
Im just glad to be out of the office and no infant of desk.

[build5]

Andyg2629:
Thanks for your views 8wheels & Truckerian99

It seems that after reading a lot of other posts on this forum there is a lot of truckers that recommend against HGV driving and everything they say is negative , now this could be the job that there in or just the individual is just negative about everything and everyone.

So tell me the positives?

I’m really interested to know.

[8wheels]

Personally for me,

I work regularish hours 0630 start finish 1600-1700 Monday to Friday and am 10 mins from home. I’m well paid for the job, not stopped breaks and have been doing the job long enough to know most of the places, people and equipment I have to deal with.

It’s still varied enough to be different and not monotonous. It’s can be a difficult, dirty and demanding job but those factors lessen with experience. I quite enjoy a bit of a challenge, working out how to load all the bits together safely makes it more interesting.

It’s never going to progress any further, but hey guess what I’m not bothered. I’m not rich, never will be but have a good standard of living and I enjoy my family.

If it’s not for you so be it, go and do something else. One day maybe I’ll have had enough and will pack it in but currently I;m happy enough.