Hi guys
I am looking for some advice please after passing my class 1 in November last year i have finally been given a chance but a car transporter company. Its a route in if nothing else and they are getting me into a 7 car artic after upskilling someone so I’m giving it a go.
I’m getting extremely nervous about a few things though I’ll be doing 4/4 so hopefully will be given enough training.
- what’s the best way people have found to line up the cars on the ramps… Forward and backwards. It’s there a set routine to lean on the seat /out the window etc?
- Will they give me much reverse training? as what is essentially a “new pass”
- Has anyone made this jump and moved from a current job to completely upend their life and how have you found it?
Sorry about the long post, any help is appreciated… Thanks 
I started my current job the week after passing.
Moved from Manchester to South Wales for the job.
Very steep learning curve, brand new class 1 pass and delivering steel, always around the 44t weight.
We get to some silly tight places to deliver it as well.
Take it nice and steady, talk yourself through everything you do. If anyone interrupts you, finish the conversation and start what you were doing again from the beginning.
Reverse comes with time and practice. No other way, no magic route to being good at it, time and practice.
Good luck. [emoji106]
They should provide all the training you need, BCA? probably a couple of weeks training and there will be someone you can phone for advice if you get unusual loads once out on you own.
Any transporter operator who doesn’t train sufficiently deserves all the wreckage that results.
7 car artic is as simple a way into the car game as any, better IMHO than chucking new drivers into an 11 car carrier which are very complicated and an utter nightmare when you first get one even if you’ve been driving transporters for years.
They’ll show how you how to fit typical loads on and how to secure them safely.
My tip is to take piucs of every load you put on during training, that way when on your own you can scroll through if unsure, it’s a very common sense job really once you get into it.
Take your time first few weeks it might take you an hour or two to put 7 on, there will be times when you’ve put them on wrong and have to take several off and start again, we’ve all done it and stood there asking ourselves what the hell am i doing this for 
.
My record from arriving at a rental site with 9 cars to empty is 9 minutes, including unstrapping, that was a 3 deck Hoynor/Transporter Engineering artic with peak deck over the cab, before the year is out you’ll be turning in times like that.
Good luck and enjoy it.
If it doesn’t work out for you don’t be despondent, its not a job for everyone and its no reflection on you if it isn’t your thing, the drop out rate of new starters is high on that game.
Thanks for your replies yeah it’s the white lorries.
I have been told I’ll get two weeks training yeah and that’s what i thought, 7 car as a newbie, hopefully the way to go, more space and hopefully a way to learn the ropes without it being as daunting… Im still sketchy about getting the cars on and off and hopefully not hitting the pillars but like you say they will train me on used cars in a yard at first… Its a complete lifestyle change as I’ve worked in a shop for the last 20 odd years… Looking forward to it just also s"httin a brick lol
stirred a memory there juddian, the tri deck was a doddle even with the peak then had a w/d with the cake stand horrible thing…
to the o/p take juddians advice especially taking pics of different loads as can always be used for future reference… good luck take your time and it can be a rewarding job… 
m.a.n rules:
stirred a memory there juddian, the tri deck was a doddle even with the peak then had a w/d with the cake stand horrible thing…
to the o/p take juddians advice especially taking pics of different loads as can always be used for future reference… good luck take your time and it can be a rewarding job…
One mans meat etc, i had the later Lohr (mk 4 i think) where the cake stand had two height settings and the rear deck under the cake stand being a slider you could stick a decent sized van or mpv behind the CS, OK the truck was about 75ft long then but who cared in those days 
It was my favourite transporter body, soon as you got rid of 3 cars you could bring the height right down, best truck i ever had for multi drop work, FL12 under the body which again was ideal seeing how low it was.
New2thegame, don’t worry about lining things up etc, the trainer will show you how best to go about it, you always lean out the window and watch where the wheels are on the decks
sounds like you had a posh one mate, the drag i had was archaic, carried 5 on twin axle no sliders or anything technical, fl 10 360 which in all respect a great little workhorse if not ideal for tramping …
I’ve done exactly what you’re about to do mate. New pass to 7 car transporter.
As long as you can drive a car forwards and backwards staying on the white line you’ll be fine. Just practice in a car park. They’ll show you everything you need to know and there’s always someone on the end of a phone if you need them.
Yes you’ll start practicing on “used” cars but you’ll prob be shocked at just how nice some of them are. They just use whatever they’ve got in the yard from We buy any car at the time. Could be a 15 year old polo to a 71 plate Range Rover. They honestly do not give a ■■■■ about damage it seems. I mean don’t try and wreck anything but it’ll be met with “oh well ok , it’ll happen again, don’t stress yourself about it”.
First time you damage a nice one it feels awful , but as long as you don’t make a habit of it you’ll be fine (you’ll just loose your no damage quarterly bonus)
Didn’t get any driving help in training but once they are happy with you and sign you off you’ll get a week or so with a “buddy” to show you the real world. Mine gave me an afternoon of practice but I was still ■■■■. It just comes with time. I’m still not that good but way better than I was. Just plan your route and don’t go anywhere you don’t think you can get out of. Better to walk 200m to and from your truck for a car than getting in the sh*t