Hi All,
Passed my theory test last Saturday, Yippee, but before I start my driver training, and shelling out a lot of money, what is the current job situation for new LGV drivers? Is the current economic climate affecting this?
I have noticed in my current job that this is having an impact on trade. Don’t want to be out of the ‘pan into the fire’!!!
Cheers
Paddy
I passed my C Class back in October 06 and have not driven since as we moved to Tenerife. We are coming back to the UK for three months at the end of June and I quite fancied doing my C+E but after all of the adverse comments on this forum, no experience no job, fifteen hour days and being treated like d-gpoo by agencies I am now considering investing my money in a tiling, plumbing or electrical course.
I think there are jobs out there but decent ones are few and far between as I have a few mates with C+E and a number of years experience and even they are finding it difficult to find decent jobs.
I would really like things to be different and there be plenty of decent jobs for everyone but as we all know the ecomony is struggling at the moment.
There are plenty of jobs sout there for t hose who are willing to be realistic about the situation.
Those newbies who have listened to the hype from some recruiting companies promising all LGV drivers are earning £600 per week take home plus overtime will more than likely be sadly dissapointed.
£300 is nearer the mark if your lucky.
But the jobs are out there - You just have to hunt them down with a little determination and a realistic wage in mind. Start at the bottom and work up like we all did.
I passed my Lgv c in Jan 07 after working at various other driving jobs for the best part of the previous 5 years.
I didnt go through any agencies but instead cold called companies and kept my ear to the ground as to who might be taking on in my area. I filled in an application at the Brakes depot just down the road from where i live. Never heard anything for a couple of weeks the got a call to go and see if i liked the look of the job etc. I started there last March and have been there ever since. Its been a hard 15 months physically but in that time i have also passed the Lgv CE and got my Adr certificate.
I handed my notice in at Brakes today as i have landed a tanker job for a company operating out of the kingsbury terminal. Im over the moon. Its a class2 tanker but when required they will ask me to cover on an artic. I couldnt be happier mate and the money is pretty good too.
I think you have to suffer in this job to reap the rewards. Peresevere put up with the rubbish and accumalte as much experience as you can. The ■■■■■■■■■ jobs are there but they just take some time and a bit of good fortune to aquire. Hope i may have been some help.
p.s. You earn between £25k and £27k p.a. at Brakes doing Lgv C multidrop. Depends how many Saturdays you put in over the year. Not too bad i would say. It seems to be about the going rate (£27K gross p.a.) One of my mates drive class2 for Aah pharmacuticals and earns about the same. I have another that drives for Bentons at furnace end Cov. and he earns roughly the same too.