yes it’s already been a year since I passed both the HGV driving tests.
I don’t regret it at all, and had some great as well as rubbish experiences. Looking back, some of those rubbish experiences now wouldn’t bother me at all. For example, needing to stop so going into a services and giving up trying to reverse into a staggered space and just parking on the side for 45 minutes, now I’d just reverse the bugger in there.
Maybe having a rubbish first employer had its benefits as well as downsides; it made me learn the hard way that some employers will push you to the max they can get away with. With a determination not to fall foul of any laws you can politely but firmly tell them that there is no such thing as a rush - on of the first things I was told by a much older driver was ‘the day you rush is the day someone may die, there is no such thing as a rush job’ and that helped tremendously. When you are relaxed as much as possible then often than not you’ll get there a bit quicker anyway than if you are uptight and making silly errors.
Now, I’ve been at Wincantons for Morrisons at Swan Valley at 15a M1 for the 13 weeks probation and that has flown by!
Alright, no employer is perfect, but really this job is great - chauffeur the goods around with no loading or unloading, no real time pressures just ‘get the goods there safely’ and the money is alright too. Some of the other drivers (esp nights) are getting greedy and leaving because the amount of overtime available has gone down, but when most weeks puts £380-£520 in my pocket (depending on hours of course) after pension plan and tax etc, I don’t see how I could earn as well with similar conditions. There are loads of new drivers there too so there is no ‘you’re new don’t talk to me’ attitudes. Organisation isn’t a strong point there, but when I am being paid by there hour I don’t really care (like yesterday) when I turn up to a job and there are already 2 wagons there…oh and did I mention the Morrisons staff canteens? £10 will feed you good style for a whole week!
So, would I recommend driving a truck for a living? A big yes
I too have had my license for a year and think it’s the best thing I’ve done. I have a class 2 and so far it suits me fine. The way the job makes you think more about staying relaxed is remarkable. If you allowed yourself to get wound up by the roads and other drivers or the way some employers treat you, you wouldn’t last 5 minutes.
Gordy
It’s nice to hear that you are both enjoying your
work one year on. Hopefully when I become a truck
driver I hope my opinion of being a driver is like yours
and I can find a good place to work.
convoy,i think Pawsons is a good firm up your way,was speaking to
one of there drivers,both waiting to unload at b+q at scunny.he said
they were o.k, no rushing or owt.
sidan:
convoy,i think Pawsons is a good firm up your way,was speaking to
one of there drivers,both waiting to unload at b+q at scunny.he said
they were o.k, no rushing or owt.
some nice wagons too.
Hi sidan I have seen pawsons advertising for staff and
not just for drivers. I will have to ring them as in there advert
it says lgv training and will get the freephone number tomorrow
and look in to what they are offering training wise because some
company’s are opening driving schools and then giving jobs to
the good drivers that they have trained up.
CBR_SI:
yes it’s already been a year since I passed both the HGV driving tests.
I don’t regret it at all, and had some great as well as rubbish experiences. Looking back, some of those rubbish experiences now wouldn’t bother me at all. For example, needing to stop so going into a services and giving up trying to reverse into a staggered space and just parking on the side for 45 minutes, now I’d just reverse the [zb] in there.
Maybe having a rubbish first employer had its benefits as well as downsides; it made me learn the hard way that some employers will push you to the max they can get away with. With a determination not to fall foul of any laws you can politely but firmly tell them that there is no such thing as a rush - on of the first things I was told by a much older driver was ‘the day you rush is the day someone may die, there is no such thing as a rush job’ and that helped tremendously. When you are relaxed as much as possible then often than not you’ll get there a bit quicker anyway than if you are uptight and making silly errors.
Now, I’ve been at Wincantons for Morrisons at Swan Valley at 15a M1 for the 13 weeks probation and that has flown by!
Alright, no employer is perfect, but really this job is great - chauffeur the goods around with no loading or unloading, no real time pressures just ‘get the goods there safely’ and the money is alright too. Some of the other drivers (esp nights) are getting greedy and leaving because the amount of overtime available has gone down, but when most weeks puts £380-£520 in my pocket (depending on hours of course) after pension plan and tax etc, I don’t see how I could earn as well with similar conditions. There are loads of new drivers there too so there is no ‘you’re new don’t talk to me’ attitudes. Organisation isn’t a strong point there, but when I am being paid by there hour I don’t really care (like yesterday) when I turn up to a job and there are already 2 wagons there…oh and did I mention the Morrisons staff canteens? £10 will feed you good style for a whole week!
So, would I recommend driving a truck for a living? A big yes
sidan:
convoy,if you are prepared to travell a bit further (down a1between 5 lane end
and markham moor) there is a big transport firm there called canute.
sidan:
convoy,if you are prepared to travell a bit further (down a1between 5 lane end
and markham moor) there is a big transport firm there called canute.
probably less than half an hour from you,and i,ve seen that they have an
in-house driving school (defo. seen them with l-plates on anyway.
you may be able to get a job with free training.
Thanks for your help sidan .
I will give them a try as they have a branches
at Worksop and Retford which are not that far
from me.
wheel nut,wilkinsons depot is just off the A1, five lane end,you would take
the A57,towards Worksop,and it’s in a former pit village called Manton.
Convoy,the depot at elkesley is the Retford one,just go straight on at five lane end,(worksop,clumber park r/b)take the next exit,signed,retford,ollerton,
and it’s on that road near gamston airfield.Only about 5 mins further south
from maltby.
.