Hi all , i’ve got an interview and assessment drive at Stobarts next week,and as a newly qualified driver, its my first interview. Just wondering if anyone else here has had one with them,and if so, what can/should I expect? I’m presuming firstly a drive,then,presuming that goes well a formal interview? Any info or advice will be much appreciated! Thanks Guys. 
With the amount of pictures floating around the net of there lorrys involved in various forms of carnage it cant be too hard.
On a serious note drive like you did on your driving test should be ok then.
I am always surprised when people keep asking about assessments after the number of posts already on that subject.Any decent company will employ a good assessor and any decent driver should have nothing to worry about.
The assessor will take into account that the person may be a bit nervous at first but a good driver will still be able to demonstrate his skills once he is made to feel at ease which is another thing any decent assessor will do.
Do not drive like you drove on your driving test.Remember that is a basic test and most are very inexperienced when they take it.
Of course stick to the rules of the road but try to demonstrate that you are a driver with experience and great competence something most cannot do on a driving test.
Do not become over confident or cocky.If in doubt wait.
Good luck.
Dunno why they bother. My first run in any kind of truck of any size was at Stobarts on agency, in the middle of the night with 26 tonne of coke on the back. Fresh from the driving test, there’s your keys drive, get yourself down to Weybridge.
If they’re willing to do that ………….
Turn up, have a chat with the assessor, do a dsa test, if you pass youll then go out on a drive with the assessor. If all goes well youll then com back and have a chat with manager who will tell you about the job and what shifts are available and also the most vital bit, money.
Think the dsa test is about 25 questions and you are expected to get 22+ right I think. On the drive make sure you use the unit suspension when picking up and dropping the trailer and also make sure your overall height is set correctly in the unit.
Goodluck
Really Terry…you don’t know why they bother? They bother because some drivers who pass their test still have not got a clue and are down right dangerous.
You ever been assessed or are you one of the ones that thinks they are so good they do not need one!
selby newcomer, tell me why you do a DSA test before you go for a Stobarts assessement please.I think you mean a theory test?
They give you a question sheet with about 25 questions on it which are based on the dsa test. Its what I had when I had an assessment a few years ago at Goole.
Ive done a Stobart driving assessment and interview in the last 8 months (still driving for them).
Expect to have a chat with the assessor, make sure you tell him that you are new and that this will be your fist drive/assessment. In the initial chat you’ll simply be signing forms and exchanging licence details.
When you go out to the truck make sure you do all your daily checks, lights/mirrors/windscreen/wipers/horn/tyres etc etc, everything that you’ve learnt on your test. He might throw in a few questions. If you couple up to a fridge trailer (depends where you are) and have to do a split couple, tell him you haven’t done one before (don’t just try and do it on your own). The drive is straight forward, just keep calm and do as you did on your test. Once back to the yard I imagine you’ll have to reverse into a bay/between trailers. Get it as straight as you can before you have to reverse, if you can’t get the unit and trailer straight/inline with the bay then spin it round so that you can see on your good side. It’s fine to drive past the bay, spin round and come back on yourself to get a better aim. Dont be afraid to have a shunt or two.
If the instructor is a it forgiving then he’ll help you along the way (to a certain extent).
If you pass the assessment you’ll then go on to have an interview with the opps’ manager. Dress smart, smart trousers, clean shirt and tie and clean safety boots. I wore a black fleecy jacket too. Oh and take some work gloves as you may need them when coupling up.
Good luck! Let us know how you get on 
albion1971:
Really Terry…you don’t know why they bother? They bother because some drivers who pass their test still have not got a clue and are down right dangerous.
You ever been assessed or are you one of the ones that thinks they are so good they do not need one!selby newcomer, tell me why you do a DSA test before you go for a Stobarts assessement please.I think you mean a theory test?
And some know how to drive on the assessment and pass easily, but don’t drive like that as a rule. In fact, almost all drivers will drive differently on an assessment to how they would when on their own, to a lesser or greater extent. If this were not the case, how could drivers that have passed the DSA test still be ‘downright dangerous’? The DSA test is basic, but does not allow for drivers that could be described as ‘downright dangerous’ to obtain their ticket, so far as I am aware.
Assessments have some value certainly, but nowhere near as much as you are implying.
Terry’s point was that if they’re prepared to let an agency driver drive their vehicles unassessed, it makes a mockery others being assessed. I’ve driven for a good few places that assess all new drivers, but they never have assessed me as a S/E lad.
i should point out that so far, I’ve been accident free. Which is more than you can say for a lot of the ‘assessed’ employed lads! 
When you go out to the truck make sure you do all your daily checks, lights/mirrors/windscreen/wipers/horn/tyres etc etc, everything that you’ve learnt on your test.
You did all that on your test tarrman?
truckulent you are missing my point completely.Some drivers cannot drive properly after passing the test whether they are on assessment or not.
Terry T:
Dunno why they bother. My first run in any kind of truck of any size was at Stobarts on agency, in the middle of the night with 26 tonne of coke on the back.
Thimgs must be bad at Stobart if they’ve now started to under cut the drug dealers too 
albion1971:
When you go out to the truck make sure you do all your daily checks, lights/mirrors/windscreen/wipers/horn/tyres etc etc, everything that you’ve learnt on your test.You did all that on your test tarrman?
No. I was referencing to everything learnt on the duration of the training courses in preparation for the test (any decent trainer will do this). Apologies if this wasn’t made clear to you in my previous post
albion1971:
When you go out to the truck make sure you do all your daily checks, lights/mirrors/windscreen/wipers/horn/tyres etc etc, everything that you’ve learnt on your test.You did all that on your test tarrman?
truckulent you are missing my point completely.Some drivers cannot drive properly after passing the test whether they are on assessment or not.
If they’ve passed the DSA test then you are wrong, because legally they can. Whether you would agree yourself is another matter. I doubt the most senior ROSPA/IAM examiner would meet your criteria to be honest.
The point surely is that, although you may eradicate a few (and it is a few) idiots, the majority will pass the assessment. A lot of those that do pass, will not continue to drive afterwards the way they did for the assessment, or for subsequent assessments.
So as I said, it has some value but not that much. 
Truckulent:
albion1971:
When you go out to the truck make sure you do all your daily checks, lights/mirrors/windscreen/wipers/horn/tyres etc etc, everything that you’ve learnt on your test.You did all that on your test tarrman?
truckulent you are missing my point completely.Some drivers cannot drive properly after passing the test whether they are on assessment or not.
If they’ve passed the DSA test then you are wrong, because legally they can. Whether you would agree yourself is another matter. I doubt the most senior ROSPA/IAM examiner would meet your criteria to be honest.
The point surely is that, although you may eradicate a few (and it is a few) idiots, the majority will pass the assessment. A lot of those that do pass, will not continue to drive afterwards the way they did for the assessment, or for subsequent assessments.
So as I said, it has some value but not that much.
Yes if they pass the test they can legally drive but it does not mean they are 100% capabable.Far from it in some cases.
As I have said many times the test is far too easy and there is too much luck involved.
I have known many a good driver to fail and many a bad one to pass.
Try doing the DSA Examiners course and then you might realise how easy it is to pass.
I am afraid I see far more than a few idiots everyday on our roads.
Terry T:
Dunno why they bother. My first run in any kind of truck of any size was at Stobarts on agency, in the middle of the night with 26 tonne of coke on the back. Fresh from the driving test, there’s your keys drive, get yourself down to Weybridge.If they’re willing to do that ………….
Completely agree mate.
The reason stobarts will let an “agency” driver loose on the road without an assessment is they dont care. any loses or damages to load or vehicle is paid by the agency. its a no loss scenario and a “■■■ on the seat” whereas a full time driver screws up they have financial commitments to meet.
Last year out of 80 assessments in a 2 week period 19 drivers where offered employment at the goole depot. so obviously isnt as easy to pass as youd think. the most common assessment “fails” was crossing hands on steering wheel and coasting the box. In my eyes those 61 had a lucky escape as who wants to drive for the nasty green men on a supermarket shelf stackers wages
To OP good luck on your assessment fella dont listen to all the MMTM BS about stobarts. Where you having your assessment ? Just try be calm and drive the truck as you was taught.
Terry T:
Dunno why they bother. My first run in any kind of truck of any size was at Stobarts on agency, in the middle of the night with 26 tonne of coke on the back. Fresh from the driving test, there’s your keys drive, get yourself down to Weybridge.If they’re willing to do that ………….
That’s how it used to be throughout the industry. In fact, that’s how I (and a lot of others on here, I imagine) learnt to transport steel on extendable flats, do roping and sheeting, even wide loads and long loads on low loaders. “You done this before, Drive?” Er, nope. “Ah, you’ll be alright. Here’s your keys and notes, the wagon’s over there”.
It makes me laugh now when we have to go in for a four hour assessment just to trundle around with a curtainsider. No doubt it’s a change for the better, but still …
Rhythm Thief:
Terry T:
Dunno why they bother. My first run in any kind of truck of any size was at Stobarts on agency, in the middle of the night with 26 tonne of coke on the back. Fresh from the driving test, there’s your keys drive, get yourself down to Weybridge.If they’re willing to do that ………….
That’s how it used ot be throughout the industry. In fact, that’s how I (and a lot of others on here, I imagine) learnt to transport steel on extendable flats, do roping and sheeting, even wide loads and long loads on low loaders. “You done this before, Drive?” Er, nope. “Ah, you’ll be alright. Here’s your keys and notes, the wagon’s over there”.
It makes me laugh now when we have to go in for a four hour assessment just to trundle around with a curtainsider. No doubt it’s a change for the better, but still …
I was exactly the same,never been assessed for any job apart from when invovled in training however there is definitely a need for drivers to be assessed and not only when they apply for a job.
They should be regularly checked as after most pass their test they develop bad driving habits,some forget what they have been taught and some just do not care.They should have to prove they can still drive to a set standard every so often and if they cannot should have to be re trained.
One of the many ways the accident rates can be cut.
It is high time a lot was done to cut down the poor standards on our roads and I am not just talking about truck drivers!
I think you missed my point Albion. I think it’s wrong what they let me do back then. I got away with it and learned a hell of a lot that night. Stuff I should’ve learned before I ever went near a truck.
Like air suspension operation. Wasn’t shown it on test so didn’t have a clue. Got to Weybridge and noticed my spray suppressors were rubbing on the floor. Quick call to my dad who also drives a Volvo and asked him what I’d done wrong. You levelled the suspension, he asked. Errrrr how do I do that then.
This isn’t stuff that should happen but they don’t seem to care. Our place give oodles of training to regulars and sweet fa to agency. We run dual height 5th wheels and I’ve seen double deckers on the high setting making them about 17 feet tall. Disastrous should they make it out the yard on to the motorway. And singles in the lower position so the trailer points down like a ski ramp.
And for what, 20 minutes training.
To get a good idea of how safe a drive is in their general driving it can take over 1 hour for them to revert back to their normal driving if they are putting on a show
That is why the advanced test is at least 90 mins