[Class 2] So this agency they keep sending me to a different place, different company, different start time every day and I’ve agreed to go every time but then I refuse to go a second time to the same place because well main reason is the work is [zb] and also the pay is meh (9-10 p.h. with unpaid breaks)
One place I had to do multi-drop/collections of pallets, local, lots of driving around to find the places, 9p.h.
Another had me driving in the Birmingham area collecting stuff on a flatbed, again lots of driving around crammed industrial “estates”, tight places, small streets, sometimes I had to go into “No lorries” roads.
Yet another was the worst - part of the drops were in the very center of Birmingham, loooots of cages, some handball, full-sized pallets, absolutely atrocious store locations and places to reverse into/out of, had to do 2 runs in one shift as 1 lorry wasn’t enough to hold all the cr*p. Never again.
Basically in my view, the jobs I’ve been assigned so far can be described as a “warehouseman with a C cat license”. I don’t even see what driving experience I’m getting out of this whole jumping around - I do an average of 50-100 km daily, mostly urban driving. Should I just pick a job and stick with it or keep hopping around trying to land that perfect job, bearing in mind I’ve driven for 2 weeks so far, money is not an issue atm so I’m not desperate for income, just trying to find that easy job (more driving, fewer stops, less unloading).
Unfortunately what you’ve described is exactly what class 2 work is all about.
What your idea of the perfect job on a rigid?
Get you hand in your pocket and get your class 1. Far more options when you’ve got that.
harrawaffa:
What your idea of the perfect job on a rigid?
Something like this (taken from an add):
"urgently require Class 2 HGV LGV Drivers for our clients in the Atherstone, Warwickshire area…Work involves Trunking to RDC’s or other similar sites "
I suspect that most Class 2 drivers will apply to an add like the above so the recruiter can cherry pick the most experienced drivers whereas guys like me are left with the more undesirable jobs which good drivers know better than to even apply for. I’ve already “done” my class 1, it’s just that…I failed the test (ahem…twice) so I lacked the confidence to try again hence why I decided to get into the job just to get used to driving a large vehicle, the mentality etc.
Lloydie:
Get on tippers , lots of driving with only a few loads a day but it’s very fast pace work
Don’t you need a special license/qualification/training for operating tippers, though?
harrawaffa:
What your idea of the perfect job on a rigid?
Something like this (taken from an add):
"urgently require Class 2 HGV LGV Drivers for our clients in the Atherstone, Warwickshire area…Work involves Trunking to RDC’s or other similar sites "
I suspect that most Class 2 drivers will apply to an add like the above so the recruiter can cherry pick the most experienced drivers whereas guys like me are left with the more undesirable jobs which good drivers know better than to even apply for. I’ve already “done” my class 1, it’s just that…I failed the test (ahem…twice) so I lacked the confidence to try again hence why I decided to get into the job just to get used to driving a large vehicle, the mentality etc.
Lloydie:
Get on tippers , lots of driving with only a few loads a day but it’s very fast pace work
Don’t you need a special license/qualification/training for operating tippers, though?
Get on with doing your Class 1 again then, if you didn’t do it with Peter Smythe, then go and do some top up training with him - you may find it’s a completely different experience and you get your confidence back.
Approach firms directly - admittedly that is harder on Class 2 because there is less work generally - but with your 1 you will be in with a chance. Look smart, act pleasant and that goes a long way.
We require drivers to have an ADR license, I pay for the training - I’d rather have a decent driver with no ADR than an idiot with one
Lloydie:
Get on tippers , lots of driving with only a few loads a day but it’s very fast pace work
Don’t you need a special license/qualification/training for operating tippers, though?
If you want to try tippers obtaining your MPQC (EPIC) card wouldn’t be a bad option as it allows you access to quarries. 1 day classroom course about £150 and it counts towards your CPC hours.
Training on a tipper can be done in a morning and a firm would show you how they’ve got theirs set up before letting you loose yourself.
I’m an ex tipper driver who’s done grab-tipper and plant operating, recently also did roro skips (worst job ever) and now work on foodservice and it’s all handball+sack truck and I love it.I have my own delivery routes, and a mix of both of them when I work Saturdays. It’s only as heavy as I want to carry, I know roughly when I’ll finish and although it’s multi drop I don’t tend to do more than 10 a day (mostly 5 or 6). Paid for 8 hours a day but anything over that I’m paid for.
Im currently on tippers, love it, from the medway towns I have 3 dovers tomorrow, sounds easy will take all day about 10.5 hrs, Been on 4 mnths now after 2.5 yrs running plastic around the country, no one has asked for an mpqc card yet and the firm im on says they will pay for it when they are ready, been in bretts, gallaghers, and hansons, look like you know it, hard hat on all lights blazing , and left alone, go for it .
ETS:
"urgently require Class 2 HGV LGV Drivers for our clients in the Atherstone, Warwickshire area… "
They don’t exist is the simple answer. Every agency uses the same wording just changing the locations around the country. Plus no one trunks with class 2 trucks.
If you’ve got less than 6 months you won’t get remotely decent jobs on agency (or very unlikely), but if you do the jobs well you might get asked back by the better ones. I got my fulltime job from doing this.
As for £10 / hour on class 2. Not sure how you get more without going LTD but don’t think I was ever paid more on class 2 - sometimes less. I don’t get much more on class 1.
Come drive for the coop class 1 it will make u think again about what is tight.
also I’ve done trunking and class 1,2 and 3 multi drop. I hated trunking the most despite it being the easiest Huge rdcs with 2 easy reverses a night. I liked class 2 multi drop yes it really ■■■■■ to begin with but once you get into the swing of things the job is a cakewalk.
Give class 2 multi drop a go. It’s really not that bad.
Trunking ■■■■■. Same road every night I hated it most boring job ever 10 hour shift felt like a 15 hour shift.
Ets if it makes you feel any better than I failed my first class 1 with 14 minors with 2 serious fault I didn’t take a retest,
Than a year Later an offer came in to light on this forum by Peter Smyth at that time 1 retest free should I fail first time, And extra 300 pounds for pass plus which includes 3 retests, I passed 4th time all in all,
Took 2k loan at a time but once I got a job with stobarts i paid my loan off in 4 months,
Its been 9 months now I am driving, I don’t know what’s the crack with Peter Smyth company as I never looked back, But if they got a pass plus still than just take a loan on 0% interest for 36 months Than go with Peter Smyth,
Just remember it’s down to you on the test day how you perform but all in all their training was spot on, I couldn’t fault their services to the slightest Good luck once you passed your class 1 than I am pretty certain you won’t look back either.
crazyplay:
Ets if it makes you feel any better than I failed my first class 1 with 14 minors with 2 serious fault I didn’t take a retest,
Eh, it doesn’t. I’m glad that things worked out for you in the end.
I have booked an assessment drive with PSmythe for 2 weeks from now and will be resuming my quest for class 1 while doing the odd day on C2 here and there
If I pass I will probably be looking at Stobbarts as well
As for class 2 jobs, I know good ones exist out there, I’ve seen for myself but they’re already taken by long-time drivers and the ones that do open up are again taken up by more experienced ones. In short, being into C2 for the short term is no good, I’ve concluded.
crazyplay:
As for class 2 jobs, I know good ones exist out there, I’ve seen for myself but they’re already taken by long-time drivers and the ones that do open up are again taken up by more experienced ones. In short, being into C2 for the short term is no good, I’ve concluded.
Thats BS
Everyone told me Tuffnellls class 2 multi drop was a crap and tbh it wasnt great but I was on a 50 hour contract with them and I’d be lucky if i did 35 hours some weeks. I often spent hours just sitting around doing nothing.
The hardest bit with class 2 multi drop or 7.5t multi drop is the first few months but if you stick with it then it will get better.
What is a good class 2 job for you?
Don’t just book a class 1 course on the assumption the job will be easier/better because you may find you have the exact same issue only you will 1/2 grand out of pocket.
