Hey guys and gals, passed my Class 1 on Friday (Haven`t a clue how, worst test ever lol).
Have a number of jobs to chose from, so quite lucky there, but I find it more scary just being left to get on with it than I did going in for the test ā¦ Yes I`ll have a bit of training obviously, but my first run on my own is going to be interesting for sure
I think Ill be doing either flatbed/site work of fridge boxes/curtainsiders to RDCs. Now, I know this is now where the REAL learning begins, so can you offer me any helpful pointers and tips? Best sat nav? (Always said I wouldnt, but I think I may have to partake in modern technology ) Best truckers atlas etc?? ā¦ I think I may need them
Trouble:
Hey guys and gals, passed my Class 1 on Friday (Haven`t a clue how, worst test ever lol).
Have a number of jobs to chose from, so quite lucky there, but I find it more scary just being left to get on with it than I did going in for the test ā¦ Yes I`ll have a bit of training obviously, but my first run on my own is going to be interesting for sure
I think Ill be doing either flatbed/site work of fridge boxes/curtainsiders to RDCs. Now, I know this is now where the REAL learning begins, so can you offer me any helpful pointers and tips? Best sat nav? (Always said I wouldnt, but I think I may have to partake in modern technology ) Best truckers atlas etc?? ā¦ I think I may need them
Cheers
Youāll be fine. Being out on your own is not as bad as new passes think. Just take your time and dont rush about and youāll be fine. Dont be afraid to ask for help if you need it and ignore anyone watching you.
Its the being on your own away from people that makes people become lorry drivers. Its the best bit!
Dont know about the best sat nav, but a Phillips or other good road atlas with bridge heights and weight limits should be first priority. Always check your route first with one.
Good luck.
All the above is good advice. Dont rush. Assume nothing. Ask. Use atlas for route planning, and satnav for the last bit. Ask. Most experienced drivers will offer advice, and some of it will even be useful! Listen to everyone, and believe some of it. And if in doubt? Ask. Anyone who thinks youre a fool for asking a question is merely demonstrating their own stupidity. And welcome, and good luck.
Donāt be afraid to tell people your new, they will be only too glad to offer help & adviceā¦well 99% of them anyway. Most truckers love a good chance to show off how knowledgable they are. And, as has been said before, ask. But more importantly, listen!
Good luck and just try and enjoy it
Well done on attaining Jedi status Trouble. When you pay for your shopping, nobody cares what you do for a living. When you pay your bills, nobody cares what you do either. Medals for truck driving do not exist.
So, my point is this; ASK about ANYTHING you donāt know because ALL truck drivers have had to learn virtually everything about the job from scratch with (usually) the help and advice of fellow drivers.
Any driver who genuinely mocks or does not help is a knob. Far better to feel a little daft than make an almighty ā ā ā ā up. I have only been driving artics for two years, but I have nothing but praise for fellow drivers. There is always another driver at an RDC for example who will jump out of their cab if they see you struggling. I am amongst the first to offer help.
The older guys are the drivers I first seek out for advice, and there is chiefly 2 reasons for this; They have made just about made every mistake possible and learned from it, and they also have really old jokes which most of us have never heard which you can pass off as your own
Donāt be so negative mate, I know everybody is different but I couldnāt wait to get out on my own, itās what you aim for ffs.
All the above advice is good so take it.
I will tell you what I tell all newbies, that isā¦
Take your time, do not rush about, do not try and compete with the more experienced guys, and/or especially the gob ā ā ā ā ā heroes, who would do 23s on 1s off if askedā¦and avoid them like herpes.
Do not allow yourself to be pushed,ā¦ drivers who rush around like idiots are the ones who always become unstuck in various ways, put that with the mix of inexperience and it is a recipe for disaster.
The pace you set yourself will be expected to be maintained in the future so make sure it is a reasonable pace for your own well being.
Ignore the teararse on the limiter all day heroes, and avoid becoming a one yourself. ā¦which has the added bonus of avoiding an early grave through premature aging, stress, heart attacks, or fatal RTAs. (Trust me on this one, I have done this a long time and know of many dead drivers who have been victim of all of these.)
Here endeth the first lesson from āThe Gospel according to Robā .
Rob - is the second lesson, Thou shalt avoid, with utmost of ones ability, supporting The Toon? As I heard it can be just as damaging to your healthā¦
F-reds:
Rob - is the second lesson, Thou [zb] avoid, with utmost of ones ability, supporting The Toon? As I heard it can be just as damaging to your healthā¦
FFS what are you doing, you might as well be porking his missus speaking like that!
Heāll be alright though, they won today beating that world force known as Brentfordā¦
F-reds:
Rob - is the second lesson, Thou [zb] avoid, with utmost of ones ability, supporting The Toon? As I heard it can be just as damaging to your healthā¦
The Church of Shearer teaches us to take no heed of the teachings of those of the evil forces of Old Trafford, with the word āredsā in their name who beareth false witness, as most of them belong to the Surrey and Home Counties dioceses of Manchester, and eat cucumber sandwiches as opposed to pork pies. So Get thee behind me Satan.
Donāt know where Iām going with this , so Iāll just say looking forward to Premiership football next season.
To o/p ā¦please note it was not me who hijacked the thread to football, blame the evil red (or F-red ) one.
(Which is a coincidence as that is how I usually describe MU fans F- Reds )
Youāre half right Rob - I did hijack the thread, but I aināt no Man Utd fanā¦ Try arsenal
Oh and to steer things back on topic, well done OP, heed the words of the first few posts and you are unlikely to go too far wrong.
My mantra has always been, it doesnāt matter how long it takes, it get there, when it gets there! Funnily enough, I use the same reasoning in bed with missus. But not because Iāve taken too long if you catch my drift!
eagerbeaver:
Well done on attaining Jedi status Trouble. When you pay for your shopping, nobody cares what you do for a living. When you pay your bills, nobody cares what you do either. Medals for truck driving do not exist.
So, my point is this; ASK about ANYTHING you donāt know because ALL truck drivers have had to learn virtually everything about the job from scratch with (usually) the help and advice of fellow drivers.
Any driver who genuinely mocks or does not help is a knob. Far better to feel a little daft than make an almighty ā ā ā ā up. I have only been driving artics for two years, but I have nothing but praise for fellow drivers. There is always another driver at an RDC for example who will jump out of their cab if they see you struggling. I am amongst the first to offer help.
The older guys are the drivers I first seek out for advice, and there is chiefly 2 reasons for this; They have made just about made every mistake possible and learned from it, and they also have really old jokes which most of us have never heard which you can pass off as your own
EB you get 10 out 10 for these comments, couldnāt have put it better. Iāve been in it for over 30 years and there will always
be a question that I will probably have to ask someone, there will always be something I donāt know, be it new technology, new delivery point, every day is a new day !
Trouble, welcome to the C+E team, enjoy and donāt be afraid to ask.
robroy:
The Church of Shearer teaches us to take no heed of the teachings of those of the evil forces of Old Trafford, with the word āredsā in their name who beareth false witness, as most of them belong to the Surrey and Home Counties dioceses of Manchester, and eat cucumber sandwiches as opposed to pork pies. So Get thee behind me Satan.
Before I derail the thread again, Iāll wish the OP well, just as i did the Newbie forumā¦
As for your God Shearer, I think I need to remind you that he spent 6 years on the sunny South coast learning his craft.
Youāre welcome!
Congrats mate! Just take your time and double check everything you do and you will be fineā¦ iv been doing it for just over 3 months now and it does get easier. Hopefully you will come across helpfull drivers unlike I did when I done my first reverse into a tight spot one guy got out folded his mirror in and shuck his head at me so you do get themā¦
Take your time. If you get someone hassling you, ignore them (or politely, but firmly, tell them to perambulate forth) because itās when you rush that you make mistakes.
Ask. Ask, ask, and ask again. If in doubt, ask. If youāre certain, ask and when you know what the answer is - ask anyway just to double check.
How much of a tangent did this thread go off on!!! EB great way of dragging it back on topic, smooth
Thanks all for the great advice as always. Havent actually got out there on the roads yet, as I ended up helping a friend this last week back on tipper work on the docks. I think what worries me the most is getting backed onto on a bay where ever I end up, I know itll take me a few goes .
My knowledge of the UK is alright as Ive been a driver for years in one way or another, but its now having to remember weight limits/low bridges/petrol station forecourts etc, as obviously I never had that worry in a 3.5t van, or hire cars (drop off/collect).
Sat waiting for my first assignment. (yes, agency ) Heres hoping Ive not made the news by the end of the week
So half the battle of being on your own has been fought.
Like me you started on a small vehicle, so you will know your way around. I knew my way around London at 21 before I had driven an artic, even though I lived 300 miles away, and made all my initial balls ups in a Transit pick up, so like me at that time, you have an advantage over a lot of new drivers, you are just driving a bigger vehicle.that you haven proven you can drive by passing a test.
Just drop the negativity mate, and think positiveā¦it does work. , you will be fine, just take in all the advice on here, and if you still lack confidence ā¦blag it.
(that also works, I have blagged stuff all my life )
ā¦ Yes I`ll have a bit of training obviously, but my first run on my own is going to be interesting for sure 
if you catch my drift!