Hi all I am about to change direction in my work life and train as a lgv driver. I am about to do my class 2 and I am 99% guarenteed work class 2 from the off (amazing what a bit of flirting at the agency can do lol) That will do for a start and I’ll only be a little bit worse off than I am at the moment (just alot happyer). What is the best paid class 2 jobs? I don’t overly mind crappy hours! And am willing to fund hiab or fork truck course!
Then comes the big 1 after I got my 2 years and do class 1 what’s the best payer again? Still don’t mind crappy hours and the odd overnight stint.
I been told the supermarkets are good and containers and the cream is fuel tankers. Is all this true? If so where is the best place to look and what do I have to do? And any ideas on what numbers to expect?
Cheers
Tom
firstly don’t believe everything you get told by an agency 
Lol yeah u no that!!! I am about to do a mail shot to all the haulage contractors in my area tomorrow to get some idea on who will want me
I am about to do my class 2 and I am 99% guarenteed work class 2 from the off (amazing what a bit of flirting at the agency can do lol)
Whilst I wish you the best of luck, you’d better take that with a pinch of salt. It might come good but agencies often have a habit of telling people what they want to hear. Still even if you only get some crap low paid work to start with, do it well and aim to be the most helpful agency driver there ever has been. Better work should come with a good reputation.
8wheels:
I am about to do my class 2 and I am 99% guarenteed work class 2 from the off (amazing what a bit of flirting at the agency can do lol)
Whilst I wish you the best of luck, you’d better take that with a pinch of salt. It might come good but agencies often have a habit of telling people what they want to hear. Still even if you only get some crap low paid work to start with, do it well and aim to be the most helpful agency driver there ever has been. Better work should come with a good reputation.
+1
tomkent:
Lol yeah u no that!!! I am about to do a mail shot to all the haulage contractors in my area tomorrow to get some idea on who will want me
you might get on better by visiting them ( and leave a card with your contact details on) , most mailshots get filed in the round file
Good points 
I am gunna get my licence wile I am still at my job at the moment so then I can bust my arse to find a class 2 number.
What I rely want to know is where is the best money in both classes?
A lot depends on where you live, Don’t leave your current job on the strength of agency promises you need to get some experience before you decide what suits you best.
Some people like tramping (nights out all week) some like local work eg: tippers bin luggers that sort of thing and some, like myself prefer supermarket work, a decent agency, if there is such a thing will give a good variety of work. Best paying at the moment for C+E seems to be the supermarkets but this will depend on your location.
Cheers fella.
I am in Kent, I think I could handle tramping but I don’t think the wife could lol mind u the wife is a good reason to spend the week in a truck away from her lol. Would rather stay fairly local but end of the day needs must.
What kind of numbers can I expect?
tomkent:
What I rely want to know is where is the best money in both classes?
I wish you luck, but to be honest you’re not going to get the best money jobs until you’ve got some experience
tomkent:
Cheers fella.
I am in Kent, I think I could handle tramping but I don’t think the wife could lol mind u the wife is a good reason to spend the week in a truck away from her lol. Would rather stay fairly local but end of the day needs must.
What kind of numbers can I expect?
Good Luck Tom! Just remember! There is over 130,000 LGV qualified drivers in the Southeast now! And I do believe it’s a quarter of the total license holders in the UK! 
The money works on the basis of what graft you do unless on Fuel tankers! The more you handball the more money you should earn on both Class 1 and 2! Agency have their favourite drivers! 
Best money is probably on the nuclear lorries but you would need a hell of a lot more experience. 
Whilst I wish you all of the best in your search, I feel you may be setting your sights a tad high.
Agency work is good for experience, as others have said do your best and try to get a reputation of being reliable and flexible with regards to times and types of job.
In your 1st couple of years you should drive anything thats offered (provided its legal of course), even if they offer you a van job…its still experience !
With regard to trying to acheive “the best money”…best of british. 99.9% of us are still striving to get the best money.
As a driver you can earn a good living wage (my last years topline was £38000ish) but you wont get rich unless you own the company (and even then its far from guaranteed.)
If you have a family you need to have a long discussion about the career path you wish to take.I dont know what you are doing at the moment but if you become a lorryist it can mean extended periods away from home, unsocialable hours, (dont expect to still play darts every monday, help the scouts every wednesday, or promise the wife you’ll take her shopping on Friday afternoon!)
There are many factors that can and will disrupt an easy days work, breakdowns, accidents, that quick load to a town 10 miles away can turn into the longest job youve had for months.
Having said all that I still think its the best job in the world and if you can manage to juggle family life around it you’ll have a ball.
BUT and like J.LO its a big BUT…This job is not for everyone and before you spend your hard earned on training courses try and get a couple of days out with someone whos already doing the job just for the insight.
Once again Best of Luck
our class 2 drivers are on either £7.00 or £7.50 straight through and £18.50 for a night out(tax free)obviously these rates vary a little but this is roughly what you`ll earn.you may get lucky and get on with a firm that pays overtime in the week(forget time and a half) 
night shift drivers are usually on a better rate than day drivers(ours get time and a half after 40).
hope this helps
I reckon, if you do pass a test, staying where you are at the moment may be wise, maybe you could do a few weekend runs to see if firstly you can hack it and secondly if you can drive. If it is for you, you can put your notice in the post 
Big money for new C drivers is never going to happen, after all well seasoned C + E drivers are not earning big money anymore.
Denis F:
firstly don’t believe everything you get told by an agency
surely denis that quote should have been
firstly dont believe anything you get told by an agency
Wheel Nut:
I reckon, if you do pass a test, staying where you are at the moment may be wise, maybe you could do a few weekend runs to see if firstly you can hack it and secondly if you can drive. If it is for you, you can put your notice in the postBig money for new C drivers is never going to happen, after all well seasoned C + E drivers are not earning big money anymore.
this is a great way to get a taster without burning any bridges,then if you decide you like it you can take great pleasure in telling your old boss to shove it
tomkent:
Hi all I am about to change direction in my work life and train as a lgv driver. I am about to do my class 2 and I am 99% guarenteed work class 2 from the off (amazing what a bit of flirting at the agency can do lol) That will do for a start and I’ll only be a little bit worse off than I am at the moment (just alot happyer). What is the best paid class 2 jobs? I don’t overly mind crappy hours! And am willing to fund hiab or fork truck course!
Then comes the big 1 after I got my 2 years and do class 1 what’s the best payer again? Still don’t mind crappy hours and the odd overnight stint.
I been told the supermarkets are good and containers and the cream is fuel tankers. Is all this true? If so where is the best place to look and what do I have to do? And any ideas on what numbers to expect?
Cheers
Tom
Supermarkets are good money and take people with little experience.
Containers is and always will be low hourly pay with LOTS of hours, a good weekly wage and 99% of Sundays off, but that’s about it, rest is varying start times, nights out when req’d, saturdays when req’d etc, and you won’t know you’re done until you’re in the car going home.
As others have said, agencies are full of ■■■■ as a rule, but are excellent for getting a bit of experience, getting your name around etc.
I was quite lucky with both my Class 2 and Class 1, I landed a bit of a niche by doing my Level 4 (as it was then) and getting on the airport, no experience wasn’t a problem and got the miles under my belt.
Best of luck.
Money also comes attached to other skills and abilities.
Driving a rigid box wagon full of pallets and a tail lift is one thing, driving a rigid twin deck car transporter full of brand new cars for dealership is something else. Likewise any sort of flat or open vehicle where you need to secure your load.
Using a crane to self load big heavy items or parking a bloody great bit of plant on top of a beavertail requires experience and nerve from a driver and confidence from an employer. Getting stuff on board is one part, keeping it there is another.
That sort of stuff often makes the difference from the £7/hr 50hr/wk jobs to the £10 + /hr 40hr/wk + overtime that you could be earning.
Best money tends to be in specialised fields or own account work. General is generally poor
tomkent:
Then comes the big 1 after I got my 2 years and do class 1 what’s the best payer again? Still don’t mind crappy hours and the odd overnight stint.Cheers
Tom
Most companies won’t take into account class 2 experience if you go for a class 1 job and you’ve just passed your test. I had the same problem when I did my class 1 after working as a class 2 driver for 4 years. If you can afford it do them both at the same time then I would; saves starting at the bottom of the pile again 
And as mentioned before you can’t believe anything the agencies tell you