Thanks everyone for such a warm welcome, and thanks for the advice. Just as I thought, the general consensus seems to be stay put and get some weekend experience before jumping into the abyss
I have to say though I’m biting at the bit to get behind the wheel again, but I guess I’ll just have to play it cool and put my family first - at least until I get the offer of a good job (in writing). So, for the time-being I’m on the lookout for weekend work (I’d appreciate a tip-off if you come across anything).
Thanks for that lead Wheel Nut, I’m in Brough, which is not far from Newport so I’ll give Hedon Salads a ring & let you know how I get on.
Thanks again for the reality check folks! Best regards, Mike.
I’ve been lurking around this site for several months now and have found the information and advice really helpful, so I’d just like to say a big THANKS to everybody who contributes!
I feel a bit cheeky asking for advice on my first posting - but that’s never stopped me before, so here goes…
I’m in a full time office job and have been for the past 7 years. It’s secure, decent money and I know the job inside and out. Trouble is I loath coming into work every day because I hate it so much. I’d swear the wall clock goes backwards when you take your eye of it. You get the picture - I wannabe a truck driver.
Anyway, I passed my class 2 last November and got lined up with some agency work on weekends on the run-up to Xmas. When that all dried up I decided to go in for me class 1, which I PASSED (last Friday)!!!
My plan was to get as much experience as possible driving on a weekend before making the jump to full time. The trouble is I’ve got impatient and I really want to get out there ASAP, which brings me to my dilemma. I need to give 1 months notice to my current employer, and I’ve spoken to a handful of haulage firms who have vacancies now, but might not in a months time. I’ve been assured that I’d get fixed up, but with a mortgage & kids, etc I can’t take the chance and need something a bit more certain. Bit of a catch 22 really.
I wonder if anyone else has been in this spot? I would really appreciate any suggestions.
The best thing to do is gain experience thru agenceys whilst still working your normal job and once you have got some knowledge then you could jump into it full time.
Not sure where you are in E YOrks but their are loads of firms in Hull etc and try to get on with them doing part time on a weekend or evenings even if it is just picking up or swopping trailers on the docks.
I work in an office during the day and when I 1st started nearly 20 years ago all I did was ring everyone in the phone book until I got lucky.
If your were more my way I could help you out with some parttime contacts but Harrogate area is maybe too far to travel
My plan was to get as much experience as possible driving on a weekend before making the jump to full time. The trouble is I’ve got impatient and I really want to get out there ASAP, which brings me to my dilemma. I need to give 1 months notice to my current employer, and I’ve spoken to a handful of haulage firms who have vacancies now, but might not in a months time. I’ve been assured that I’d get fixed up, but with a mortgage & kids, etc I can’t take the chance and need something a bit more certain. Bit of a catch 22 really.
Hi mike,
I was in the same posistion as you about a year ago. I had been in retail and retail management for 12 years and decided enough was enough . I took training for cat c while still with my employer but failed at the first attempt. However i had got the “bug” and handed in my notice before i had even passed. I was also meant to give 1 months notice however there is nothing that they really can do if you do not work this notice period. ANYmoney you have earned they are required to pay you the same as holiday money etc outstanding.
The same can be said for references as i was changing career completly i didnt really worry to much about the reference and there is only so much there allowed to comment on anyway. so i walked out after 1 week of the four week notice.
At this point i had no Class c so it was down to an agency who got me straight onto 7.5t while i took my reteset.
And the rest is history as they say…
I have NEVER looked back and do not miss in the slightest the hassle and stress of managing a supermarket. i have never really been out of the work since the day i walked out (odd day here and there) and now i have class c+e with a major company pulling a decent wage and its got to be the easiest job in the world…
So all i would say is if your unhappy take the bull by the horns and strive to get what you want…it is possible…
MikeS:
Hi folks!I’m in a full time office job and have been for the past 7 years. … I wannabe a truck driver.
Which brings me to my dilemma. I need to give 1 months notice to my current employer, and I’ve spoken to a handful of haulage firms who have vacancies now, but might not in a months time. I’ve been assured that I’d get fixed up, but with a mortgage & kids, etc I can’t take the chance and need something a bit more certain. Bit of a catch 22 really.
I wonder if anyone else has been in this spot? I would really appreciate any suggestions.
First Welcome to TNUK & congratulations on the Class 1.
I have been in a similar situation twice the first time I walked out of a good Care management job to take my Full PSV & go Bus Driving, The second time I decided to walk out of Bus driving get my Class 1, I already had class 2 & go HGV Driving full time.
It’s not an easy jump, But there is normally plenty of Class 1 work around so if you want to take the plunge go & get some experience with an agency, whilst at the same time writing, visiting & phoning everyone you can & don’t forget you cannot be legally held to the notice period, so if a good job comes up & you really want it then go for it.
But don’t forget there is nothing wrong with thinking of your family first & just doing weekend work until you feel ready to take the big jump, no one would blame you for that.
Hi MikeS. First things first, Congratulations on the pass and welcome to TrucknetUK.
When I passed my Class 2, been umming and ahhing about what I was going to do when I passed the test whilst in work and would have ummed and ahhed for a while longer if redundancy hadn’t tipped my hand, was out with the agencies the following day . One thing, unless you can get on a contract with them, the work isn’t generally constant. Myself, I’m doing a few days a week (although being offered full time - so the work’s out their) and looking for that elusive decent job that fits in with what I’m doing and what I want to do. Just so you know, this is what agencies are like generally (or it seems so to me ). Friday, week before last. I’m told I’ve got no work the Monday, but the rest of the week for sure. Ok, fine. I sort a full weeks work out on the Friday with a different agency with the understanding that I may not be able to do the job, it’s an insurance. They were fine about it. Agency I generally work for usually 'phone about 11-00ish so they’ve got me before anyone else. No call. I ring them about 13-00 Monday and get we havn’t got the start times through yet, but we’ll ring you when we do. Was pleased I sorted the work out with the other agency, because I didn’t get a call.
Their are an awful lot of jobs about if your prepared to take anything that comes and I’ve been offered plenty, but I dislike nights out (sleeping in the truck) and am not prepared to take the the first [zb] job that comes along. I’m trying to hold out for something decent. What I’m trying to say, in a roundabout way is, if your prepared to take a job haveing done a bit of agency work and gained some experience, that is less than ideal, but it gives you a regular income and a certain sense of security, then that’s the way to go. Their’s not a excess of drivers, just too many poorly paying jobs around, IMHO, having looked at the local job market recently, and this is the Leicester area which includes Magna Park - a major concentration of fisrms requiring HGV drivers.
You’ve got to get the offer in writing first I think, to leave the job. If they can do that, then it’d be well worth quitting. Maybe worth pursuing . Otherwise, you’ve burned your bridges if someone does the dirty on you and you end up with no work . As you can see, it does happen .
2nd alot of company’s will promise you everything and when it comes to it they tend to forget ( bit like politicians) if i was you i’d stay where you are just now where the money is good and your family ain’t suffering.we have just introduced this working time directive ( wtd ) and there’s alot of unhappy teddy’s in the industry at the moment.not knowing how this is going to pan out.i’d leave it for a while and stick to doing agency work at the weekend’s,thus gaining experiance.i know that you have been offered work but don’t jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.good luck
tradition dictates that the work will pick up in the summer in this industry. it might be a good idea to do agency work on long term contracts and go for a temp to perm job. if a company likes you, they will take you on full time via the agency. after a pre set time, you will no longer be on the agency books. the holiday season is especially busy
good luck
and put my family first - at least until I get the offer of a good job (in writing). So, for the time-being I’m on the lookout for weekend work (I’d appreciate a tip-off if you come across anything).
- but that’s never stopped me before, so here goes…
However i had got the “bug” and handed in my notice before i had even passed. I was also meant to give 1 months notice however there is nothing that they really can do if you do not work this notice period. ANYmoney you have earned they are required to pay you the same as holiday money etc outstanding.
. One thing, unless you can get on a contract with them, the work isn’t generally constant. Myself, I’m doing a few days a week (although being offered full time - so the work’s out their) and looking for that elusive decent job that fits in with what I’m doing and what I want to do. Just so you know, this is what agencies are like generally (or it seems so to me 
). Friday, week before last. I’m told I’ve got no work the Monday, but the rest of the week for sure. Ok, fine. I sort a full weeks work out on the Friday with a different agency with the understanding that I may not be able to do the job, it’s an insurance. They were fine about it. Agency I generally work for usually 'phone about 11-00ish so they’ve got me before anyone else. No call. I ring them about 13-00 Monday and get we havn’t got the start times through yet, but we’ll ring you when we do. Was pleased I sorted the work out with the other agency, because I didn’t get a call.
- a major concentration of fisrms requiring HGV drivers.