Im going to be getting all my licences in the next few months, should hopefully have saved enough up to get them all in one go as such. I thought it best to ask on here because more people will see it, but does anyone know anywhere in or around preston that would take an 18 year old on driving any size truck at 18 with no road experience? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
I would seriously do some research into available jobs even going round the local yards and speaking with the gaffa, there really is no point in spending the best part of 3k on everything only to be told “sorry mate over 25’s only” or “you need 2 years experience mate” or both. Good luck mate but face to face with the boss is the best way, if he sees you’re keen and he likes your personality he might just give you a shot.
I will be brutally honest with you… you are taking a massive gamble.
The chances of being taken on as a driver at 18 with no road experience are slim to none. Your best bet would be to try and get a job working around trucks first, even if that means grafting in a warehouse or on a forklift for a bit. Work hard, build a reputation for yourself then try and progress into the driving seat. Please don’t fork out 3K then wonder why you can’t get a job - you have been warned.
Another option would be to use your car license and try and get some van work to be starting with, maybe delivering papers to shops. Usually lousy pay but it gets you on the road in amongst it.
You’d be better off getting your forklift licence, then getting a job at a haulage firm as a loader etc, get to know them, and them you, and go from there. Spending your cash on licences that you are unlikely to be able to use is a waste.
You have a 1% chance of driving a 7.5 puddle jumper. Wait 5 years is my advice mate.
Don’t do it!
You won’t find any work worth having and you’ll have blown a lot of dosh. The only advantage to getting the ticket is that in 5 years you’ll have had your licence a good while and you may then be in with a shout.
Don’t hold your breath though.
I know it isn’t what you want to hear what were all saying but it’s the truth buddy
I disagree with all of your replies to the op. He/she has already said that they will have the available funds to do all the necessary, so what does it matter if there’s no job available right now? That might not be the case one, two, three or however many years down the line. The only sure thing will be that the cost to do the licences will probably have doubled by the time the op waits till their 25 birthday to do them.
Go for it op.
What’s the point in spending £3000 minimum when you can’t use it for years?
As an investment for the future is probably more realistic than for getting a job now as you are ‘only’ age 18 BUT you never know, you could be in the right place at the right time 
On a positive, try Wiseman Dairies (now Muller Wiseman). They were part of the young drivers scheme
Do it, get the lot …hopefully, because if you invest £3k now in the bank it wont be £3.5k. Until long gone 3yrs, however passing your tests now means you have the licences for life because in three years the costs will have risen more than the bank interest.
And then if you cannot get a job straight away go to ALL the local haulage companies asking for a job doing Anything…Determination and drive to suceed always shows and any good gaffer will notice it, you may end up shunting or FLT driving for some time, but it all helps in the long term.
And get an ADR and anything else you can afford because one day you will make it to the job you want.
Good luck …and dont get put off by the knockback, Life is a learning curve . Bloody steep at times and hard going but those with Drive succeed.
Having the full set at that age will certainly make you stand out from the crowd and that can only be a good thing.
Shows a lot of willing compared to most of the younguns I know.
Go for it.
Sunnydevon:
Having the full set at that age will certainly make you stand out from the crowd and that can only be a good thing.
Shows a lot of willing compared to most of the younguns I know.Go for it.
True.
I got my licences 6 months after my 18th, was a full time driver at 19. now 21. Obviously I still lack experience but I think I’m getting on fine, better then some “experienced idiots” out there.
You got to show willing mate and look at the smaller family firms rather then big outfits.
Good luck
PremiumTrucker:
I got my licences 6 months after my 18th, was a full time driver at 19.
IT IS POSSIBLE
ROG:
PremiumTrucker:
I got my licences 6 months after my 18th, was a full time driver at 19.IT IS POSSIBLE
Sure is, at 19 I was only on class 2 but a starts a start. Then at 20 I got my class 1, little Volvo fm, 4 months later i got given an 09 FH. Now changed firm and got my daf.
You got to keep trying !!
Thanks for all the replies, that was the idea to get it straight away and then at least ive got it before it starts going up, once ive got them, i’ll just have to go and speak to everyone i can possibly think of round here!
matizerSCANIAR480:
Thanks for all the replies, that was the idea to get it straight away and then at least ive got it before it starts going up, once ive got them, i’ll just have to go and speak to everyone i can possibly think of round here!
Dress tidy, shirt and tie … And go see the TM 's and look them straight in the eye and tell him how good you are and how determined you are , and go with a cv to leave in his hand.
Slight different tack,if i was you,get cpcs artic dumper/forward tip dumper ticket,get on site earn some money off it,probs got a better chance on plant,few firms round preston/lancs way,cost less and get you a start,even on agency you’l get 10/hr on adt,know a few 18 y/olds done that,or done rope access ticket,hard graft but after few years,level 3 off shore,big money,the kind you’l be hard pressed to see on waggins!
Theres loads of work out there at the moment even for young and inexperienced drivers, wouldnt listen to all these drivers that tell you it will be impossible to get a start they havnt got a clue what their going on about.