Im new to this fourm so i am sorry if this has already been posted.
I have been driving a PCV licence for the past 3 yrs and got the bug for driving large vehicles so decided to save and do my HGV licence. I now have a full Class 1 licence and i have put out in the region of 20 applications to companies small to very big and alot i knew had class 1 jobs and now everyone is saying sorry you have no experiance so i am ruled out of getting the job.
I put my own money and time into this and have got 3 yrs experiance driving a ridged vehicle that weighs 18 ton and drive with 100 peoples lives in my hands and yet im being told i have no experiance. I understand that a class 1 bends but i had to master PCV prety quick so im sure if i have put my time and money into it i am in the game for the long haul so to speak…
If anyone has any way i can get my foot in the door and drive artic lorries in kent then i would be so grateful and im sur emy wife would love me to stop getting frustrated and be happy, so im sure she would thank you too…
All I can suggest is to keep on plugging away with sending out cvs to as many places as possible, and sign up with a few agencies. You might not get artic work straight away, so be prepared to do some rigid work to get yourself known within the agency. It’s tough to find work but there is work out there, you just have to keep on calling companies etc to get it
Put simply mate, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Those of us (myself included) with less than two years experience will be very lucky to get a foot in the door at the moment. Imho, for nearly all of us the best way is to drive for the agencies for a year or more but even that’s not as easy as it once was.
Apart from that, all you can do is knock lots of doors and send lots of letters etc. Best of luck though
A lot i already gathered, i have tried to get in with driver hire in maidstone and ashford in kent and they wont take me eithre as i have no experiance… sometimes it can be soul destroying as you well know. I mean its not to bad as i have a job in the bus industry but its not making me happy and i just need a company somewhere to take a chance.
I spoke to a guy at my firm and he tells me that the old insurers wont take you unless you have experiance line is false, they just dont want a new driver… im starting to believe that, and i dont like the fact they are judging me before even meeting me let alone giving me a driving assessment.
If the money would be simular to what i am on now i would take a ridgid job, there are a couple around, but it doesnt pay what i am on so i cant leave the job i hate to do a job i love. FRUSTRATING. !
You would think that with the busiest port in the UK right on my door step i would have loads of companies round here but i cant find them.
Anyone got any other agencies other than driver hire i could try? Normal employment agencies arent worth the effort as they promise you the world to get you on the stats page and you never hear from them again,
If there is a Manpower agency near you try them for Royal Mail work.I am also on the buses and do lorries in school holidays.Agency rates havent risen in 3 years where I am,so its hardly worth using my car to get to the jobs.As you are on the buses you could tell bosses that you have lots of multi-drop experience,it might help.
Put simply mate, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Those of us (myself included) with less than two years experience will be very lucky to get a foot in the door at the moment. Imho, for nearly all of us the best way is to drive for the agencies for a year or more but even that’s not as easy as it once was.