I am not currently in a driving job but am thinking of applying for one. The thing that has put me off in the past was the long hours involved and I am interested to know what the average hours per day/month are. When I passed my class 1 I was offered a job which (if I remember right) was 15 hrs a day, no nights out, reasonable money but I turned it down due to the hours. I am beginning to think that this was not a bad offer but tbh I think I could only cope with 9 or 10 hours a day and wonder if jobs like this exist?
They do exist mrpj, but they tend to be with the better companies and their’s generally a queu for them if they pay well. They are becoming a bit more prevalent with the working time directive looming, but don’t hold your breath, sorry, I don’t want to put you off a career in driving and I for one would sooner do 12 hours that I like doing, rather than 8 I hate. BTW, your daily rests only allow you to do 3 15 hour days in a week, if you do that, you need an additional 6 hours rest from somewhere to “pay back” the reduced rests so to speak before the end of the following week. Have a look at the tachograph law here. If that job was 15 hours every day, then it’s taking you over your allowed hours and I’d give it a miss.
I can’t remember the exact details of the job but I am probably wrong with the hours I mentioned as I am almost certain that the company that offered it me runs legal. In the mean time I think I’ll study the tacho regulations as at the moment my knowledge on the matter is poor!
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One thing I forgot to mention was that i’m in a (fortunate) postion at the moment of being able to take a low/lower paid job, don’t know if this would make a difference?
mrpj:
One thing I forgot to mention was that i’m in a (fortunate) postion at the moment of being able to take a low/lower paid job, don’t know if this would make a difference?
It may not make a difference as to what jobs are available, but working for lower wages just about sums up the truck industry right now!!
I was thinking that some companies might be keener on someone who doesn’t need overtime (not that companies are always that generous with their rates!)
I drive Class one collecting milk from farms, start at 06.30 and am home most days at 15.30, sometimes earlier.
I could and have earnt more than i do now, but i earn a good enough wage to keep the wolves from the door and getting loads of family time, really looking forward to the summer afternoons finishing in the afternoon and having the evening.
There is of course a down side, and that is, farms and acess to them isnt ideal for a 44t triaxle, or even the little mini’s we use, infact the mini’s are worse as the farms are a tad tight!
And of course milking is done 365 days a year, including christmas day, and if your on rota then you work it !
You could ask about your local area and try and find out who picks up the milk from the local farms and give it a go.
Thats the sort of job i’m after although I think I might be better starting off in class 2 as I haven’t got any class 1 experience yet. Thanks for the replies, it seems there may be suitable jobs around, just a case of having a good search.
mrpj:
Thats the sort of job i’m after although I think I might be better starting off in class 2 as I haven’t got any class 1 experience yet. Thanks for the replies, it seems there may be suitable jobs around, just a case of having a good search.
Sure, if you feel you want to build a bit of confidence, if you got the licences, might be a good idea, but don’t give it too long, as an artic’s a completley different animal to a rigid .
I have the licences, problem is I passed my C+E on a wagon and drag almost 3 years ago and have only driven rigids since then. Although my C+E is a full licence (not category 102 restricted) I could do with starting in an easy artic job first. Tbh the only reason I want artic work is that I think most rigid work is multi-drop and I have done that in the past and spent more time unloading and carrying the load than driving.
mrpj:
I have the licences, problem is I passed my C+E on a wagon and drag almost 3 years ago and have only driven rigids since then. Although my C+E is a full licence (not category 102 restricted) I could do with starting in an easy artic job first. Tbh the only reason I want artic work is that I think most rigid work is multi-drop and I have done that in the past and spent more time unloading and carrying the load than driving.
You and me both . Might it be worth having a few lessons in an artic, just to get then feel of the thing and back into the vein again? Once you are, the sky’s the limit .
Was thinking of having a couple of artic lessons and think i might have to as a w+d is a different vehicle. I have spent an afternoon alone in a proper artic, basically ran up and down a couple of dual carriageways and swapped a couple of trailers. I did better than I thought I would but found the reversing (like everybody) a nightmare. I also imagine driving in urban areas (which I didn’t do) would be another difficulty.
I think an old class 2 licence (before they merged the cats. in june 1990) was a drawbar licence, therefore when they changed to the EU licence of C and C+E these licence holders were given a C+E 102 resticted which means they can only drive drawbars. If you take your test in a drawbar now you will get a full C+E. I think i’m right!
I think an old class 2 licence (before they merged the cats. in june 1990) was a drawbar licence, therefore when they changed to the EU licence of C and C+E these licence holders were given a C+E 102 resticted which means they can only drive drawbars. If you take your test in a drawbar now you will get a full C+E. I think i’m right!
Your right mrpj If you take your test in a wagon and drag
you get full C+E (Class 1) licence.
Dennis, I saw someone at Culham test centre taking their class I in something like that with a drag. The idea that they could go out the next day in a 44 tonner is quite frankly ridiculous. It may be an easy way to get that pass, but I am sure glad I did it ‘proper’ in an artic.
The truck I did my test in wasn’t that much bigger than that DAF so you can see why I’m wary of driving artics, sort of wish I’d done it in a proper artic now
.
. Might it be worth having a few lessons in an artic, just to get then feel of the thing and back into the vein again? Once you are, the sky’s the limit 
