I was thinking last night, it’s been nearly 2 years to the day since I passed my Class 2 with SRTS in Exeter… Way back then I had 2 IN10s on my licence and thought I would probably end up just putting it in the drawer until they cleared off my licence. I took my Mod 4 in March 2011 with a small 1 man band in Devon thinking there was probably no rush to getting it done. How wrong was I? I went to the local agency and within 2 days was given a 7.5t distance run to break me in gently. Thought maybe this was going to be as good as it gets. But I got a call from the Agency Manager the following morning asking how it went. He said they were pleased with me and wanted me back. i was given a 26T multidrop run round Somerset and that was the real start of the learning curve. Although it was similar to the size of the training vehicle, there were some very tight accesses (well they seemed like it at the time).
After a few weeks they decided I wasn’t getting the runs done quick enough so the agent put me into 3663. Manouvering round padestrianised areas and loading yards and breaking down / handballing pallets. I definitely earned my money. But greatful of the experience.
Just before Christmas 2011 I had about 2 months of tramping in a demountable 15t box furniture lorry. Home delivery. That all went quiet and I enquired with the agent about the potential for Class 1 work. He said there was potential although he thought I needed more Class 2 experience first. Meanwhile there was none of that going either. So I was left making some decisions. Do I do Class 1 and make more of myself? I took the plunge and booked Class 1 with Peter Smythe up in Mansfield Woodhouse. Fantastic driving school and Peter got me through it in one piece I(although I think I tested his patience regularly).
So with Class 1 licence in hand (and by now I had no endorsements either), I went searching for work and came up with a blank. A few possibilities came to light, but they all were filled by more experienced drivers.
I couldn’t live on nothing, so took a break from driving lorries and went and took my training and test with First Bus. Passed first time, and did it for a couple of months. Didn’t really enjoy it. Realised the grass really wasn’t greener.
Meanwhile things at home started to go very wrong and myself and my partner of 6 years split. I gave myself a kick up the arse and went and got some much needed experience on Class 1 with a bulk tipper. Admittedly it was the same run regularly, but it grew my confidence of handling a tractor unit with tri-axle trailer. Steve at S Walkers was great, giving me the chance where others wouldn’t.
So moving on I got myself signed up with an agency in Bristol that got me some tramping work with Downtons and I was in and out of different places 5/6 days a week. All was going really well until the proverbial ■■■■ hit the fan. A load of aluminium logs decided it wasn’t going to stay put. Fortunately it still remained within the confines of the curtain but could have ended a lot worse. Lesson learned. When the loader says there are no stillages to hold them in - REFUSE THE LOAD. Needless to say I am now out of work. But it has all been a learning curve.
The point of the post - 2 years Class 2 licence with 2xIN10s at the beginning and still able to get work. 1 year of Class 1 and work is out there for Class 1s. You just have to go out there and grab it with both hands. The learning curve is sometimes very steep but nothing is impossible.
So what’s next for me? I’m doing trade plating for a bit while I save up to take my OCPC after Christmas. Then see where it takes me. I’m not saying that I will put my own truck on the road the day after but it’s certainly something that is a possible for the future.
Thanks for reading. And to all those newbies who are thinking - is it worth it? I say yes. Go do it. I don’t look back with regret. I look back as a learning curve and experience building. Work is out there if you put your mind to it. Best of luck to all those thinking about taking their course / test soon.
Dean
