Another youngling seeking abit of advice

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hey, im Andrew.

I took the intensive driving course from peter smythe, it was a 4 day course where I drove 4 hours for 4 days, and a test on the 5th day by the DVLA. I took my Class 2 in November and I passed with 4 minors first time, I then took my Class 1 in January and passed that again first time, with 3 minors.

So, I have been all pumped up to getting a job. And then reality came crashing down. Nothing. nada. Just shed loads of disapointment and disheartening. Every job is 25 (im now 22, passed when I was 21), or two year experience.

I signed for an agency in nottingham and they promised me the world. A local company on Class 2’s and doing the Co-op in Bullwell on Class 1’s. So i was really excited! The day came when I was promised to go out with an experienced driver and nothing happened. They said it had to be pushed back. So from supposing to be a Wednsday/thurs/fri thing, it changed to ‘either saturday or monday’. I patiently waited for them to phone as they promised. And that was a month and a half ago. I emailed a few times, got no reply which was really annoying and unproffessional in my opinion.

So i’ve been applying for every job, i’ve written in letter to every company. I’ve tried going to a few but reception just says they aren’t interested. I look online, at various sources and Agencies, and theres literally, 50+ jobs out there begging for multiple drivers, but they all want over 25 and 2 years experience. Its stupid. The industry is stupid.

If insurance costs more, pay me abit less to cover it. Just give me the chance and experience. I dont expect to jump into high paid jobs, I just expect a good 20-30p above minimum wage, just give me the opportunity to get my foot in the door and to start a life long career.

My driving licence is pitch perfect, I got so few minors, that every company I approach say they were impresssed with my performance on my test as with my CV I always send a copy of my pass marks that you get, just to show them that I am every bit as good, if not better than any other driver out there, even more impressed when I tell them I did the course in 4 days, passed on the 5th day and had never drove anything aside from my old Punto, my Renault Megane and my current Citroen C4.

And I also paid for CPC practical with the DQC, and i’ve done the case study, and I’ve got my digital Tachograph.

Its so depressing. So, would anyone have any advice aside from keep trying, trying trying?

2

I’m in the same boat mate. 26 yo, clean license, cpc, class2, every ■■■■■■ is saying I need 2 years experince. Bit of a joke after paying out the £3k for a license!

3

hgvhgv:
I’m in the same boat mate. 26 yo, clean license, cpc, class2, every [zb] is saying I need 2 years experince. Bit of a joke after paying out the £3k for a license!

Im lucky, the course was £256 for medical/theories/training day in a classroom, then its £1200 for Class 2, £1200 for class 1. One to one tutoring in a new truck. I thought it was insanely cheap, but thats £2600 I couldve saved and gone for a crap labour job, which is the depressing thing. You pay for a career, and you can legally get the licence, but then the jobs require 4 years older, so why have the licence at 21? Royally pittles me off.

4

Just keep plugging away, work will eventually become easier to find when we come out of recession, it’s not just new drivers who are struggling.

5

Harry Monk:
Just keep plugging away, work will eventually become easier to find when we come out of recession, it’s not just new drivers who are struggling.

I dont regret doing it, its the best thing I can do. I was just banking on it getting me out of one-day-a-week stacking shelves, looks like i’ll be there for quite a while lol!

Im sure everyones struggling. I just cant believe how many jobs are out there, but not to young drivers!

6

Look at it this way, in two years time it will cost over 4k for a licence :exclamation:

7

i was in the same boat as you,passed when i was 21 sturggled for a while drove anything i was asked to, nowadays being 26 with almost 5 years under my belt (some of the old timers will still say my licence is wet but whatever)

just keep plugging away and it doesnt harm to be cheeky

8

andrew1990:
I signed for an agency in nottingham and they promised me the world. A local company on Class 2’s and doing the Co-op in Bullwell on Class 1’s. So i was really excited! The day came when I was promised to go out with an experienced driver and nothing happened. They said it had to be pushed back. So from supposing to be a Wednsday/thurs/fri thing, it changed to ‘either saturday or monday’. I patiently waited for them to phone as they promised. And that was a month and a half ago. I emailed a few times, got no reply which was really annoying and unproffessional in my opinion.

I had the same with an agency where i am, was late last year i was 19 at the time and looking for part time work while doing my degree. After registering and hearing about how impressive it was i had all my licences, cpc, tacho card and doing a degree he said he was going to contact companys and to come in next week. Went in next week he said he had spoke to some one at stobarts who was also impressed and was willing to take me on for odd pays and the first few trips id go with a experienced driver and even be paid. I was so chuffed, read the stobart agency driver rules he gave me a number of times making sure i took it all in. Then nothing ever came of it and eventually they didnt even BS me when i emailed just ignored them.

I cant see why they feel the need to do it, i was registered with them anyways why mess me around. Just built my hopes up for nothing, rather cruel really.

All you can do is keep looking and hope for the best, my first year will be finished after my last exam tomorow so i to will be back to looking.

All the best,
Phil

9

As harry said its not just new drivers struggling for work. Companys are getting loads of letters sent to them asking for work. When i passed i would check the jobs sites daily and when a new job appeared i would drive to the company and ask to speak to someone about the job. I managed to get two job offers within a week of passing my cpc mod 4. The main thing is not to get disheartened if you really want to do it keep at it and something will come up.

10

Look at it this way you wont be 22 forever and those magic 2 years are already ticking, keep plugging away your lucky brk will come :smiley: hopefully soon :wink:

jen x

11

Once you get the odd day even on a 7.5t you can just lie after that.

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12

Trying to get the odd day is like blood from a stone around here! I’ve offered to do a WEEK unpaid, but it doesnt change a thing. Still a No. I just dont get all these job adverts I find, theres well over 60 of them from various local sources, alot asking for over 10 drivers each advert. So the works deffinitely there with alot of Agencies.

The insurance thing bothers me, because its £500 for my car fully comp, so surely the lorry would only be double maybe triple that. Just bugs the hell out of me because im just as good a driver as anybody else, if you arent good enough you dont get your licence, put me with another driver for free for a week, then judge me.

Would’ve thought, if you get a young starter they’d be more flexible, not tied down, eager to get on with the job and turn up for work, snap all the overtime possible and work hard for it.

13

Saaamon:
Once you get the odd day even on a 7.5t you can just lie after that.

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No you cant because on the back of your license it shows when you passed?

I feel your pain mate I am in the same boat it really is bad news but all we can do is keep trying and knocking on doors till someone gives us a chance! I have heard that skip/tippers & bin lorries are a good route to get some experince so thats worth a shot.

14

andrew1990:
Trying to get the odd day is like blood from a stone around here! I’ve offered to do a WEEK unpaid, but it doesnt change a thing. Still a No. I just dont get all these job adverts I find, theres well over 60 of them from various local sources, alot asking for over 10 drivers each advert. So the works deffinitely there with alot of Agencies.

And the tooth fairy and Santa are real too…but if you were experienced you would know that.

The insurance thing bothers me, because its £500 for my car fully comp, so surely the lorry would only be double maybe triple that. Just bugs the hell out of me because im just as good a driver as anybody else, if you arent good enough you dont get your licence, put me with another driver for free for a week, then judge me.

Sorry but you’re not. You’ve passed the test, well done. Now the real learning starts. That’s why employers value experience so much.

Would’ve thought, if you get a young starter they’d be more flexible, not tied down, eager to get on with the job and turn up for work, snap all the overtime possible and work hard for it.

A great number of older, more experienced drivers are very flexible, eager to get on with the job, are more likely to turn up for work, work hard and take all the O/T going. Where do you get this stuff from?

You’ve passed your test but you’ve got no experience and because you’ve got no experience you can’t understand why employers and insurance companies desire it. Come back in a few years and tell me I’m wrong.

15

What you say is right, but how do you propose us n00bs get a start if nobody will give us a chance? With the average age of drivers being 45, and with all the failed medicials and people hanging up the keys due to the cpc pretty soon, the pool of drivers with experince is going to be very empty pretty soon, and then what?

16

hgvhgv:
What you say is right, but how do you propose us n00bs get a start if nobody will give us a chance?

You have to keep knocking and a door will open. I passed my test in 1988 and had the same trouble you’re all having so it’s nothing new.

With the average age of drivers being 45, and with all the failed medicials and people hanging up the keys due to the cpc pretty soon, the pool of drivers with experince is going to be very empty pretty soon, and then what?

Then, as I’ve said elsewhere they will import more drivers from somewhere, just as has been done in the past

In the meantime I would take any driving job I could get but particularly I would target companies who run the whole range of vehicles.

17

44 Tonne Ton:

andrew1990:
Trying to get the odd day is like blood from a stone around here! I’ve offered to do a WEEK unpaid, but it doesnt change a thing. Still a No. I just dont get all these job adverts I find, theres well over 60 of them from various local sources, alot asking for over 10 drivers each advert. So the works deffinitely there with alot of Agencies.

And the tooth fairy and Santa are real too…but if you were experienced you would know that.

The insurance thing bothers me, because its £500 for my car fully comp, so surely the lorry would only be double maybe triple that. Just bugs the hell out of me because im just as good a driver as anybody else, if you arent good enough you dont get your licence, put me with another driver for free for a week, then judge me.

Sorry but you’re not. You’ve passed the test, well done. Now the real learning starts. That’s why employers value experience so much.

Would’ve thought, if you get a young starter they’d be more flexible, not tied down, eager to get on with the job and turn up for work, snap all the overtime possible and work hard for it.

A great number of older, more experienced drivers are very flexible, eager to get on with the job, are more likely to turn up for work, work hard and take all the O/T going. Where do you get this stuff from?

You’ve passed your test but you’ve got no experience and because you’ve got no experience you can’t understand why employers and insurance companies desire it. Come back in a few years and tell me I’m wrong.

Course experience counts and the real learning starts when your on your own, off a test route and in a strange location, but the fact is, if you aren’t good enough at the start you dont get the licence. Why bother having the test being able to be took at 18, if you have to wait 7 years before anyone is even intereted in taking you on? Its the age old elitism in trucking thats renouned to exist. You got the skill to start, you got the card to prove it, so let the young driver start performing and learning. Like i’ve said, id take a pay cut to cover insurance costs; give me minimum wage and the opportunity to prove that im more than capable. Anyone can make mistakes, whether you have no experience or 20 years of it.

And I get my stuff from myself. The amount of people ive heard of who have said they quite because theyre sick of this, sick of that, dont want to do this many hours, or that many hours. Young drivers can be just as capable as an experienced driver, and I dont know how you can say experienced drivers are more likely to turn up to work, why is that? I know many people my own age in their respective career and havn’t had a day off in at leat a year.

I love the standard reputation that young people get like they’re partying or can’t be bothered. I dont drink. I dont party. I dont like going out. Why wouldn’t I turn up for work, or many other people like myself? Its just the plain elitism and bias opinion thats rife.

And, theyres plenty of agency work going. Morrisons, my current employer are after 24 drivers in wakefield, 28k per annum, 45 hour week, 10% discount, no handballing 6 weeks paid holiday. Theyre advertised since november. Shame they need 18 month experience, otherwise I would apply. But ofcourse, experience in driving on a road teaches me about agencies, correct?

18

andrew1990:

44 Tonne Ton:

andrew1990:
Trying to get the odd day is like blood from a stone around here! I’ve offered to do a WEEK unpaid, but it doesnt change a thing. Still a No. I just dont get all these job adverts I find, theres well over 60 of them from various local sources, alot asking for over 10 drivers each advert. So the works deffinitely there with alot of Agencies.

And the tooth fairy and Santa are real too…but if you were experienced you would know that.

The insurance thing bothers me, because its £500 for my car fully comp, so surely the lorry would only be double maybe triple that. Just bugs the hell out of me because im just as good a driver as anybody else, if you arent good enough you dont get your licence, put me with another driver for free for a week, then judge me.

Sorry but you’re not. You’ve passed the test, well done. Now the real learning starts. That’s why employers value experience so much.

Would’ve thought, if you get a young starter they’d be more flexible, not tied down, eager to get on with the job and turn up for work, snap all the overtime possible and work hard for it.

A great number of older, more experienced drivers are very flexible, eager to get on with the job, are more likely to turn up for work, work hard and take all the O/T going. Where do you get this stuff from?

You’ve passed your test but you’ve got no experience and because you’ve got no experience you can’t understand why employers and insurance companies desire it. Come back in a few years and tell me I’m wrong.

Course experience counts and the real learning starts when your on your own, off a test route and in a strange location, but the fact is, if you aren’t good enough at the start you dont get the licence. Why bother having the test being able to be took at 18, if you have to wait 7 years before anyone is even intereted in taking you on? Its the age old elitism in trucking thats renouned to exist. You got the skill to start, you got the card to prove it, so let the young driver start performing and learning. Like i’ve said, id take a pay cut to cover insurance costs; give me minimum wage and the opportunity to prove that im more than capable. Anyone can make mistakes, whether you have no experience or 20 years of it.

And I get my stuff from myself. The amount of people ive heard of who have said they quite because theyre sick of this, sick of that, dont want to do this many hours, or that many hours. Young drivers can be just as capable as an experienced driver, and I dont know how you can say experienced drivers are more likely to turn up to work, why is that? I know many people my own age in their respective career and havn’t had a day off in at leat a year.

I love the standard reputation that young people get like they’re partying or can’t be bothered. I dont drink. I dont party. I dont like going out. Why wouldn’t I turn up for work, or many other people like myself? Its just the plain elitism and bias opinion thats rife.

And, theyres plenty of agency work going. Morrisons, my current employer are after 24 drivers in wakefield, 28k per annum, 45 hour week, 10% discount, no handballing 6 weeks paid holiday. Theyre advertised since november. Shame they need 18 month experience, otherwise I would apply. But ofcourse, experience in driving on a road teaches me about agencies, correct?

Carry on then youngster…come back in 10 years or so like I said… :wink:

19

This is the attitude we have to put up with. Its all right for you older people, sitting in your houses with a full time job, whilst us youngsters have to fork out £3000 to get a license, go through all the cpc, and then get told to ■■■■ off!
I have been out of work for 6 months now, forked out the last bit of my savings to get this, and I actually WANT TO WORK, I want to get on with my life instead of being a bum. If no new blood comes into the industry then say hello to more of your hard earned taxes being spent on people claiming benifits and funding the foriegners who will be “shipped” here to take out jobs and lower the wages even more.

20

Yep, but there’s a recession on and truck drivers are not in very high demand at the moment. If Joe Public isn’t buying it then we aren’t shifting it.

For any haulier managing to survive, margins are wafer thin and a driver with a few years experience will be better at the job than someone new to it. Yes, you have passed the test but that means very little in terms of understanding how the job is done.

All you can do is to keep looking, maybe one day you will be in the right place at the right time.