slowlane:
Even a day, to “gain experience” is pure ■■■■■■■■. If you work, you should be paid, end of story. You can’t go and do a day of free work for ABC Haulage, not get taken on, and go to DEF Haulage and say “Oh you can start me right away, I’ve done my day unpaid at ABC down the road.” It’s not experience if you can’t take it with you, in my book, at least.
Not sure if you’re referring me when I said it was experience for a Newbie, but I wasn’t really viewing it as a credit/ticket to use in the future. My thinking was that as a Newbie you know bugger all, and the first shot you get you’ll possibly make a hash of. So I was viewing it as practice for a Newbie in getting that first job. I think it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that as an experienced driver, you know what to expect and what to do. A Newbie hasn’t a clue, or doesn’t think they have, I remember! So you blag it the best you can, and hope you’re not going to screw up. This in turn can raise their stress levels and before you know it, some could be losing the plot. That’s the sort of experience I’m thinking of…
So when they then go to DEF haulage, the Newbie has done it once and knows the score!
I wasn’t referring to your post, or robroy’s either. I was off on a general rant about being shafted by prospective employers. Should have thought about my words better, but I left my dictionary on ground level when I got up on the high horse!
andy_s:
Just a thought, and it’s more my devious thinking than anything else… but any new C+E passes out there who get the opportunity to work for ‘free’, take it up. Drive the truck to the nearest open space like a service station during the day when it’s quiet and practice like hell doing your reversing/ dropping trailer etc… and if you’re in a good mood, maybe unload one of your drops before going back to the yard… two can play at that P take game
Yeah and make sure the companies name is emblazoned down the side of the trailer. Try to do this on night shifts if possible, (an MSA would be best…) and make new friends immediately. Any grief just tell 'em your gaining experience, they’ll totally understand, they were there in your shoes one day after all…
slowlane:
Even a day, to “gain experience” is pure ■■■■■■■■. If you work, you should be paid, end of story. You can’t go and do a day of free work for ABC Haulage, not get taken on, and go to DEF Haulage and say “Oh you can start me right away, I’ve done my day unpaid at ABC down the road.” It’s not experience if you can’t take it with you, in my book, at least.
.
In my case before I got my licence it was the only offer on the table, my mate, who I used to go off with in his truck, knew this guy who done a bit of long dist light haulage with pick ups and 4 wheelers. He mentioned me to him in a nite club, told him about this young lad who was mad keen, had a basic knowledge (passed on by him) and who would make a good driver given a break on the 1st ladder step…
The rest was how I told it previously.
The artic opportunity was similar, just passed Class 1, zero artic experience, the owner driver was a guy who used to go off with my Dad when he was a driver. I saw him in the pub one night and approached him to see if he knew anybody who took on guys like me.
Nobody held a gun to my head on either occasion, it was the only offer on the table both times, and I snapped them up.
Look at me now…The Trucking God. a bit like Elvis getting in at Sun Studios.
So you blag it the best you can, and hope you’re not going to screw up. This in turn can raise their stress levels and before you know it, some could be losing the plot. That’s the sort of experience I’m thinking of…
a bit like Elvis getting in at Sun Studios.
