Dork Lard:
You’re on a learning curve that is steep at first but it does get easier as you go on. Sadly, many drivers are so dumb that they are unable to work it out & they stay perpetually on agency hopping from 1 bad job to the next, moaning & whingeing on social meedya about how bad their lot in life is.
As a newly qualified driver it’s best to have at least some experience of temping, if only to work out exactly what type of driving you want to do & equally as important . . . what type you DON’T want to do.
I give you important tip No’1 : You will come across the 2yr experience brick wall, without 2yrs experience nobody will give you a chance. This isn’t personal & it doesn’t reflect that they have sufferred from poor drivers with no experience, it is an insurance policy stipulation. The policy T&C’s state that drivers should have 2yrs experience & 6pts or less. There are ways around this but they cost LOTS of money in increased premiums, the Co’s that are willing to pay this are usually the Co’s that HAVE to pay . . . . because no self respecting driver with 2yrs+ under their belt will work for them.
Basically you are right, but it isn’t as absolute as you make out. I’ve taken on a 23 year old and two 24 year olds in the past on Class 1. They didn’t have experience beyond van driving. The insurance increased the excess by £500.00, which we factored in and crossed fingers that we wouldn’t have to pay it. We didn’t HAVE to take on youngsters because no one else would, we only employ on recommendation(full disclosure, one of the 24 years olds our TM met while he was working for a subbie as a casual). So you can get on at a decent firm, but in fairness we are a rare and dying breed.
As for ADR, I’d say that a decent firm will put you through yours. I’d rather take on the right driver with no ADR which we need, than the wrong driver with an ADR.
Going back to the lad our TM met, yes he was doing casual work, yes it was half labour half driving, but he was cheerful and pleasant as well as hard working, so whilst you might feel that every job you are doing is rubbish, you never know who you are meeting and where a job offer may come from.
Hi albion do you fancy taking on a 36 year old newbie driver im willing to relocate lol [emoji23]
Don’t let it get you down lad, keep at it, my first 2 agency gigs were dog, but the scraped a few bumpers and lost a bit of paint and now I’m in a full time work doing long distance stuff in a rigid, none of this multi drop crap… but a couple of months on said multi drop, 24 drops around Manchester city CTR, and that was a quiet day, it definetley taught me more than I’d of got if I just jumped straight into a cushy, one drop hit and reload jobbie
Man power or Pertemps should get you into Royal Mail work over Christmas. Be a good boy and they might keep you going. Google for Sure recruitment I have heard good things about them.What about Tillicoultry Quarries they are near ■■■■■■■■■■■ but I think that they operate from various other sites too. Tippers, skips and Billy Bowie are the folk most likely to give you a whirl, good luck anyway.
Agencys are good to gain experience
Different.jobs trucks etc.
Although new pass might struggle it’s the catch 22 most company’s want experience but how do you get it if no one takes you on.
Just join a few agency’s maybe try doing 7.5t work if c2 isn’t possible. .
Just keep.looking and eventually ypur find someone willing to give you a chance
Dork Lard:
I give you important tip No’1 : You will come across the 2yr experience brick wall, without 2yrs experience nobody will give you a chance. This isn’t personal & it doesn’t reflect that they have sufferred from poor drivers with no experience, it is an insurance policy stipulation. The policy T&C’s state that drivers should have 2yrs experience & 6pts or less.
Sorry about the off-topic, but does the same apply for C+E, even if you’ve had C for years? Do you start from 0 again once you get the C+E?
Yeah think you start as a newbie again as couple my mates were class 2 for years then got class 1 but couldnt get work for awhile had to do agency work to gain experience but both ended up earning great wages after the experience issues, but might be different for others thats just how it happened for them
Not sure I agree about the 2 years starting again as mine didn’t
I went shunting for a month once I passed C+E (talk about the deep end) but it helped me a lot. Yes you are going to scrap some paint when you start and sometimes you just cannot get the thing to go backwards where you want it to go.
Just keep at it. There are cushy jobs around. Not all the couriers are rubbish to work for. The guy who advised Royal Mail was doing you a favour as I have done Class 2 and Class 1 for them. I got the Class 1 stuff because they knew me and I hadn’t done 2 years driving by then either.
I would save my money from ADR. I got mine but I don’t think I have ever used it so get the job first.
TBH I hate agencies with a passion but we have a couple locally who are run by ex-drivers and they tend to be a little more truthful with what they say.
Also - if they tell you something, get them to email you with confirmation. Then you have evidence if you don’t get what you were promised
(You’re not the first -and won’t be the last - to ask Albion for a job)
Sorry I know it’s 80 miles from Glasgow but just to prove there are good jobs out there for new starters, there are a couple of jobs at Hermes Dundee. This is not doorstep parcel delivery, it is class 2 delivery to couriers, max 10 drops per route. jobtrain.co.uk/hermescareer … ?jobid=147
Managed to get assessment with malcolms construction doing tippers i just went down like yosser hughes and said gizza job [emoji23] only thing is its high / low ratio manual gearbox i only have 40 min experience with this gear box so hopefully the trainer bares that in mind, has anyone had any experience with malcolms construction ?
Just tell the guy the truth. You’re new but very keen to learn and there’s nothing wrong with that. They know you’re new so obviously will take that into account
Once you get the hang of it you’ll be flying. I’ve not worked for Malcolm’s so have a search in the search box or, better still, go to the assessment and make your own mind up
The "box is a range change once you get the hang of it you will like it, I can assure you!!. As said be honest and if they are decent they will explain the workings of it. Also remember Google is your friend.
You have to put up with a bit of crap until they get to know you. You could be pulling some high value load.
I signed up for class one but the first week was transits, puddlejumpers and all the shifts no one else wanted. Once they realised i am reliable it was all class 1. Again starting with the worst jobs and shifts but after a few months things improved a lot. Stick with it and work your way up
If it’s class 2 tipper work then you’ll be fine, try and take in as much experience from the guys who’ve been doing it a while, every day is a school day on tippers! Ignore the people who think ALL tipper drivers are lunatics…we aren’t. Top tips, always check the ground your tipping on is solid, level and ALWAYS look up for electric cables etc…
If you don’t fancy tipping where the customer wants it DONT! If you think it doesn’t look safe then stand your ground, they’ll soon realise you’re not going to tip and find somewhere else for it.
Most importantly never be afraid to ask another driver about a drop, most of not all will be more than pleased to tell you whether to reverse in or drive in etc…
If I’m doubt get out and take a walk to where you need to tip.
Most of all enjoy it, you’ll be home every night at a decent time, very few tipper firms do weekends and bank holidays due to sites not being open so you’ll have more time at home. Get on with a decent firm and you’ll not want to do anything else.
Oh and in the summer it’s dusty and winter it’s muddy, if you can deal with that you’ll do fine.
Good luck!
Oh and as for the manual box, you’ll be glad you have one if you’re having to drive on muddy sites or landfill…can’t beat them. Won’t take long to get used to it at all.
tipperlad:
Oh and as for the manual box, you’ll be glad you have one if you’re having to drive on muddy sites or landfill…can’t beat them. Won’t take long to get used to it at all.
I had to do all sorts of crap jobs after passing my class 2 for a year. Then I found one I like and I’ve been there ever since. Doing the crap jobs certainly makes you appreciate the good ones! I had every intention of doing my class 1 after getting a bit of experience but I’m happy doing what I’m doing now, and unless my company needed me/paid for me to do Class 1 I don’t think I’d bother.
