Hi Guys,
Well I am 18 and I am considering doing my cat c+e license soon. What do you think I will get work wise and also what kind of wages could I expect to get?
Thanks,
Fraz
You are going to find it tough. But tough isn’t impossible. There’s an article in this weeks’ Commercial Motor about a company that prefers young drivers and is prepared to pay the extra insurance.
I got one of my trainees a job, class one, permanent, a couple of weeks back. That employer had got no problem with taking an 18 year old.
It is getting slowly better - but your age wont help.
My advice is only to spend the money on training if you don’t need an immediate return on it. DO NOT BORROW.
But, if you can afford it, it’s one of the best investments you can make if this is what you want to do.
Feel free to pm me if you want more specific help.
All the best, Pete 
I got my first driving job at 18, they’re starting to look for drivers about now. Where are you located?
It’s not impossible, but it will take a bit more effort.
truckerfraz:
Hi Guys,Well I am 18 and I am considering doing my cat c+e license soon. What do you think I will get work wise and also what kind of wages could I expect to get?
Thanks,
Fraz
Why do you want to become a driver? what do you no about the job?
I would say go for it.Many firms would be interested in taking you on,as they can mould you in to their way of how they want things done.
The Hungarian firm Waberers uses young drivers that go all over Europe.
A firm may take you as an apprentice,starting on vans up to the artics.
Knights of Old at Kettering do this.
And Widdowsons transport take young drivers.
DJC:
I got my first driving job at 18, they’re starting to look for drivers about now. Where are you located?It’s not impossible, but it will take a bit more effort.
I stay in central Scotland mate.
mac12:
truckerfraz:
Hi Guys,Well I am 18 and I am considering doing my cat c+e license soon. What do you think I will get work wise and also what kind of wages could I expect to get?
Thanks,
Fraz
Why do you want to become a driver? what do you no about the job?
I want to be a driver for my love of driving always had an interest in trucks mainly tippers. I don’t know much about being a driver apart from I will need to work my full driving hours.
there are loads of companies in the area mate, hundreds if you cover all avenues from timber yards to tippers to skips the list is huge. Do a bit of research, companies like Duncan Adams in G’mouth might give you an apprenticeship, they offered me time behind the wheel on wkend shifts just after passing my class 2. Try Craig’s in Denny next to the tip, the Stevenson brothers. There are loads, go speak to some tell them your thoughts and chance your am and ask if they would take you on either as an apprentice and help fund your training or if they would give you a shot after you have completed your training. Ask in at yards if you can shunt. If you don’t ask you don’t get mate. Polish up your brass balls and go out and get some.
A yard man job is a way in to get a driving job,as you get to hear about drivers talking of jobs going at their delivery places.
Truck washer,another avenue.
As a shunter,you get experience on blind spot reversing and knowing where the parking brake buttons are on different trailers.
To locate firms,try the Vosa website under decisions/applications pages that list small to large hauliers.
Addresses on there too.
Any Council depots that do refuse and recycling?
It wont be easy but you can do it but it can be done you have to go out & look hard for work though
truckerfraz:
mac12:
truckerfraz:
Hi Guys,Well I am 18 and I am considering doing my cat c+e license soon. What do you think I will get work wise and also what kind of wages could I expect to get?
Thanks,
Fraz
Why do you want to become a driver? what do you no about the job?
I want to be a driver for my love of driving always had an interest in trucks mainly tippers. I don’t know much about being a driver apart from I will need to work my full driving hours.
I’m not trying to put you off but driving is only part of the job. You may only drive for 45 hours a week but when you add other things in you could be working 80 plus hours for maybe £6.50 per hour. Would you mind living in a truck all week when your mates are all out at night for maybe not much more money than them. If it’s what you want do it but think about it first at 18 you may get something better than trucking
mac12:
truckerfraz:
mac12:
truckerfraz:
Hi Guys,Well I am 18 and I am considering doing my cat c+e license soon. What do you think I will get work wise and also what kind of wages could I expect to get?
Thanks,
Fraz
Why do you want to become a driver? what do you no about the job?
I want to be a driver for my love of driving always had an interest in trucks mainly tippers. I don’t know much about being a driver apart from I will need to work my full driving hours.
I’m not trying to put you off but driving is only part of the job. You may only drive for 45 hours a week but when you add other things in you could be working 80 plus hours for maybe £6.50 per hour. Would you mind living in a truck all week when your mates are all out at night for maybe not much more money than them. If it’s what you want do it but think about it first at 18 you may get something better than trucking
I’m not that keen on going out anyway and it is something I would love to do. I would jump at the chance to drive an artic for a living
Ignore what mac says and go for it if it’s what you want to do. He’s always posting negativity about the job on here like you’ll have to work 80 hour weeks for peanuts - you won’t by the way if you put some effort and initiative into finding work. It seems to be the norm in this country to put down and be negative when a person states what they want to do rather than encouraging them. Yes your lack of experience is obviously going to count against you to start with but it’s the same in every single industry so don’t let that put you off.
tmcassett:
Ignore what mac says and go for it if it’s what you want to do. He’s always posting negativity about the job on here like you’ll have to work 80 hour weeks for peanuts - you won’t by the way if you put some effort and initiative into finding work. It seems to be the norm in this country to put down and be negative when a person states what they want to do rather than encouraging them. Yes your lack of experience is obviously going to count against you to start with but it’s the same in every single industry so don’t let that put you off.
I may post negative comments but that’s because I have been doing the job and know how bad some firms have become. If you look at job ads you will see some are paying NMW for class 1, it is one of the few jobs where you can work 84 hours every week and need to get a decent wage. In my other 2 post on this thread I never told him not to go for it but because of his age to think before he spends £3000 to find it’s not for him.
Yeah so have I (only for 2 years i might add) and in both those years I’ve never earnt less than £25000, i’ll be somewhere close to £30000 by the financial years end next month and I do about 50-55 hours a week with no nights out so I reiterate my point that it can be a well paid rewarding career. Your right some companies and agencies do try and pay peanuts but funnily enough there the ones always advertising for drivers and should be avoided. A quick look on the direct gov website will show the same agencies advertising the same jobs everyday for poor money. But once again I’ll use the words initiative and legwork to get what you want. Agree with Pete too, don’t put yourself in debt to get your licence.
So you have a job you enjoy paying £10.50 per hour but only 5 days ago you asked this
Anyone with any of the usual info on either Samworth Brothers or Walkers Crisps at Leicester.
Main agency supplier (I know a few supply Samworths) - who is the best. Pay (preferably ltd company basis), hours, average shift lengths, whats the job like etc?
Or if anyone has any other good recommendations for companies in the leicester/leicestershire area to work for on an agency basis
Why would you want to leave such a good job?
I do have good work that I get well paid for. I might also add I earn more than £10.50 an hour for this. However I asked the question about samworth brothers and walkers crisps as both are a fair bit closer to my front door than where I am at the moment and because I’m ambitious enough to get the best deal I can for myself i’m still always looking for opportunities. This is the point I’m trying to highlight to the OP that as a new driver you don’t just have to accept rubbish jobs on rubbish pay. As I said I’ve only done 2 years myself.
I can categorically tell you that very few companies in the central Scotland area will touch you at 18.
- I’ve learned the hard way.
Wait a couple of years is my god honest advice (There’s also hee haw work)
I can categorically tell you that very few companies in the central Scotland area will touch you at 18.
I am certain that’s true. So “very few” companies with touch him at 18 - he only needs one!
And yes, that will be difficult - - but not impossible.
Pete
Truckerfraz, Google 4624 Raf Reserves,Brize Norton.
They train you as a mover,to load all types of aircraft all over the world.
They train movers for use of fork lifts and ither heavy machinery that can be used in civilian life.
You get paid travel expeneses fro attending training weekends,a tax free bounty is paid every year,which is a few thousand pounds.
While training and once trained,by law,your civilian employer must keep your job open as you may deployed abroad for six to nine months.
Tasking operations to humanatarion relief such as disaster areas around the world.
Applicants can be 18 year old to 56 year old with no previous milatary experince is required…
For training you get to go river rafting in the South of France or mountain hiking in California or skiing in Europe all for free.