Good morning/afternoon/evening!
I’m writing a mini diary of my week since passing my test Tuesday, have been on the road driving artics since.
Monday the day before my test, i was sent out with a driver whom i must say takes safety very seriously and whom had a vast knowledge and tips which was shared that I’ll probably use until the day i hang up my keys.
We set off from the base in knottingley to the coke factory in Wakefield loading for the coke factory in Northampton and then the same in reverse which is one of the main jobs out of knottingley for the day/night drivers. Was a nice long drive but could imagine it get a little tedious day in day out. Was a good no thrills drive, apart from some ■■■■ trying to take my mirror off going down the M1 who was paying more attention to his phone than on the road! 
we get back for about 5pm where the driver shook my hand wishing me luck for my test whilst telling my dad i should pass no problem, nice feeling when other drivers offer support even if your unsure yourself.
Tuesday and test day arrives with the half day training to boot. I arrive little after 8am thinking i was late as i couldn’t remember if training started 0800 or 0830 thankfully i was early and raring to go determined today was the last day i ever have L plates on my truck. My instructor John finally arrived and we cracked on, starting with the uncoupling/coupling exercise which took some getting used to the AS tronic on the MAN that i was driving. But made light work of it then getting onto the reversing. Remembering all that i was taught 3 weeks prior i got the trailer in the ‘bay’ first time on all 4 attempts the 4th being my test ofcourse. 
We went out onto the road and you could see the difference the weeks inbetween made from my first and second test, although some bad habits did come back with the driver in me creeping out to crack on rather than take your time and somewhat dawdle about a little. After the 3 hours driving was up we got to the test centre in darlington and it was time to get into position for my reverse maneuver and wait for my examiner hoping that i wasn’t going to get the same examiner as last time.
20150930_143509_HDR~2 by jonnytruckfest1, on Flickr
Thankfully i didn’t and got a very friendly and chatty scotchman called gordon, whom through my test made me feel at ease and in some cases as though it was just like i was on an assessment drive for a job. Thankfully i was familliar with the test route as it was the same as the first one but the other way around!! I did hesitate on a couple roundabouts where I probably could have gone but didn’t want to chance getting failed for slowing someone down. I also had fun when trying to pull away forgetting to put the truck in gear, thankfully we was on flat ground and not on a slope otherwise it would be test 3 i was after although i did a similar thing on my rigid test 
We get back to the test centre where i was sure i had failed and if I’m honest i did well up a little through worry alone as this has been funded it is a lot of pressure and stress to fail with. The examiner asked if i wanted my instructor present where i asked if i had passed or failed. Where he chuckled asking again if i want the instructor present where i said no i dont what is it. Where he said them magical words that lifted what i could only describe as a mega weight from my shoulders and a massive smile and shock planted to my face “I’m pleased to tell you you’ve passed and good luck in your future career”
The best phonecall ive ever made to my dad asking when my truck will be ready needless to say a proud moment for me. I got home that night and got my things ready to throw in the lorry in the morning until i can sort it out.
As i knew already though the real learning begins now!
20151020_172820 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/609291onnytruckfest1[/url], on Flickr
So wednesday finally comes and it should be a 7am start loading out of kinnerton confectionary at sherburn, but i get in for 0600 to put my stuff in the lorry ready to be sorted out when i get down to melton mowbray to tip as the first time i was there it was a 5 hour tip! 
20151021_070742 by jonnytruckfest1, on Flickr
I was welcomed in the yard by a couple drivers one whom i used to knock about with when i was a kid as his dad worked with my dad etc. I eventually get everything i needed minus a couple bits that i forgot such as nothing important like my wallet thankfully i had some cash in my license holder for emergencies incase i needed it.
I do all my checks and get down the road with the first challenge is getting up the hill out the yard without 1 stalling and 2 without needing to come back down to take another run at it! I get to sherburn in good time half an hour or so early for my collection as my delivery isn’t due until 13:00, so in no rush. I get let in just after 0800, where i open my curtains and get ready for the pallets to be loaded as before we were bringing a fridge trailer in loading the stuff on ourselves.
20151021_081045 by jonnytruckfest1, on Flickr
An hour or so later i get loaded with 26 pallets with the loader deciding 1 of the pallets on my trailer wasn’t for my trailer. Thankfully it was at the back and not the front of the trailer so little time had been lost. I secured the pallets down making sure they weren’t going anywhere and make the maiden voyage down to Ashford storage in melton mowbray. Thankfully as id been there before i knew what way to go. 
ish
20151021_074428~2 by jonnytruckfest1, on Flickr
I get down to melton in good time arriving on site at 1145 nearly break time for these lot so got in sharpish to see if i could go down and get tipped early sadly my 1300 load was actually a 1400 load so had a lottle of wait in my truck had my lunch and finally got the truck in some form of order so i knew where everything was.
Fast forward 5 hours I’m eventually tipped, i was due to be loading out of DCI at boston but sadly by the time i got to boston the only person on site was the security guard who told me to come back in the morning. So down the road i go and park up on a dead end road part of an industrial estate out of the way getting a few snaps of the truck and enjoyed a cold beer whilst taking my 13 off to start at 0700 in the morning. 
20151021_164415 by jonnytruckfest1, on 
20151021_175833~2 by jonnytruckfest1, on 
20151022_065643~2 by jonnytruckfest1, on Flickr
So far so good, Thursday and todays antics to follow. 
Cheers
Jonny
