I was working as a 7.5t driver when I passed my class2, took class1 straight away and passed 2nd time. Monday after I passed I saw a shiny new DAF XF unit sitting in the yard and the boss threw the keys at me. All he said was ‘look after it’ 
I know I was lucky tho’ as lots of people wait ages for a chance. I’ve just signed back on with the agency so I’m hoping I’m still in luck.
Got my class two in the army- came out and got a job at the bottom - 7.5 tonne and rope and sheet -a good family owned firm- old school- not the best payers in the world and things like radios and night heaters were luxuries that Old man Phil didnt think it was his responsibility to pay for, - and worked my way up - best training the industry has to offer,
must done alright as when the TM changed jobs he took me with him… along with a substantial payrise and paid for my class 1, 30 years later he is a high up in a logistics company and we still chat every now and then about those TK’s/KM’s and sleeping across the back shelf
Yep, just last year
Ive been very lucky really i started of as a porter on a family run removal company as the work load and house sizes increased so did the requirement for a bigger truck.So as i worked my way up the company from vans to 7.5tonners i was then dispatched off to get my class 2 which i did and stayed on for a few years then i left and went on general haulage for a well known Worcester based company.
I was very happy in my little 26tonner until the boss asked me if i wanted my class1 as i was one of only 2 drivers that didnt have a class 1 so again was sent to get my licence and havent looked back 
I already had another full-time job (not as a driver) when I passed my Class 2 in 2004, but I was able to start straight away with an agency working the odd shift on my days off. Two years later, I left the old job and went full time on the agency. Within a couple of weeks I was driving five days a week for the same client (a large logistics company), and a couple of months later the client took me on permanently. After a couple of moves to other contracts with the same employer, I was TUPE’d across to a new employer (DHL) who offered me the opportunity to do my Class 1. Naturally I jumped at the offer and started on the artics the day after I passed my test. I now drive artics and rigids as required.
Already had a job lined up before i took my class 2, then when i passed my class 1 i begged them to let me drive their artic, then after i moved on from that job i was just abit loose with the truth when it came to what experience and how much driving i’d done.
I was already driving the little vans (up to 7.5t) for Royal Mail (having progressed from a pushbike ) when I took my HGV at 21 in 1983.
All paid for by RM just had to stay there for at least 3 years.
Passed test on Thursday in a Ford Cargo (instructor told me I didnt need the splitter cause its not loaded 
) following morning i was on my way from Crewe to Holyhead in a Leyland Cheiftain with a 6 speed crash box coupled to a 20’ single axle skelly trailer with a container on.
That was a hell of a steep learning curve and you could hear the tune I was playing on the gearbox for miles
selby newcomer:
del949:
Passed my class 2, was already on an agency doing van work for DHL, so had my Level 4 (as it was at the time), so when a class 2 driver was off, I was in his seat.
what is level 4 ?
it’s a short little training session you have to do when your delivering and collecting airfreight.
Sorry, just got in, yeah, as selby said, it’s another money making scheme, you sit in a classroom, watch a few videos, get a certificate, 2yrs later you do it again and they’re the same videos.
I no longer have my Level D as it expired in Feb and I refuse to pay for it again, I’ve had Level 4 once and then Level D (it’s replacement) twice, and I used to drive airside too (coaches not HGV’s), so just got fed up of feeding the money monster
Yes.
Rikki-UK:
Got my class two in the army - came out and got a job at the bottom . . .
It was a couple of ex-army bods who got me a job straight away, they owned a driver agency.
Their attitude was “if you’re good enough to pass the test you’re good enough to drive for a living.”
Later they sold out to one of the nationwide driver agencies and retired.
toowise:
I was already driving… for Royal Mail when I took my HGV at 21 in 1983.All paid for by RM just had to stay there for at least 3 years.
My mate did the same - but when he passed his test he NEVER went back to Royal Mail.
I’m sure he never got penalised by RM.
I was lucky enough to get put through my Class 2 in my old job after driving vans for them for 3 years.
I paid for my Class 1 myself in January and had all but gave up of searching for a job on the big uns
Got a phone call a month ago saying a place came up local and I went door banging straight away, got lucky and haven’t stopped smiling yet
I passed Cat C nearly 2 years ago. Went to see my local Driver Hire (great guy) who put me on a 7.5t run for my first ‘bigger than transit’ experience. Then the following day I was on a 26t fridge lorry.
Had about a year of Cat C work starting with 2-3 days a week and by the time a year was up I was doing 60h+ tramping for an own account furniture place.
Took my Class 1 a year ago and nothing. So took a break and went on the buses. Then I got the opportunity to drive a multitude of C and CE outfits on recycling work before landing this work I am on now (shhhh they might be listening )
PS all paid for out of my pocket
Passed my class 2 got a job next day proper cowboy outfit all the drivers were newbies or signing on or couldn’t get a job elsewhere due to going missing for a few days here and there.
Stayed about 6 months and was offered a job by a firm we subbed work for and they put me through class1 a bit later.
Got a great grounding in the job working there and have had half decent jobs since.
Realy don’t want to sound like some old codger here but when I read some of the posts from new drivers here I think what planet are you on seems lots want a top of the range truck with a cream job the day they walk out of the test centre with the pass certificate.
I used to help my father in law at weekends service the trucks and trailers for the company he drove for in the week, it was a small 4 truck company based in Bedworth who did a lot of work out of Massey ferguson in Coventry. I was driving transits in the week for a courier company mainly airfreight from BHX. The owner asked me why I hadn’t took my hgv test, I told him I couldn’t afford to do it and not get any work to pay back the loan I would need to do it. He laughed and said he would let me do his run as he had been told by the doctor to take it easy. I still had to pay myself tho as he was a bit on the tight side. About 4 weeks later I had passed my test on the Monday morning. Tuesday morning saw me behind the wheel of an ERF and 40 foot flat with 3 tractors sat on it and my father in law riding shotgun, the truck had a crash box which saw me coming to a standstill alongside a full bus shelter when i couldn’t find the next gear with my farther in law shouting get out let a proper driver show you how it’s done. After a couple of miles down the A45 I had another go and soon got the hang of it until passing the Peugeot plant I caught up to a slow truck to be told put your foot down and overtake it, well as I got alongside it seemed to move over towards me which made me panic a bit but I made it past and pulled back in ok. I only had to go to DK packing at church lawford so was soon tipped and back in Coventry to find the owner waiting to find out how I got on, after a lot of ■■■■ taking from the father in law who was refusing to go on the 2nd run with me as I had scared him I was loaded and pulling out the gates on my own.
kr79:
Passed my class 2 got a job next day proper cowboy outfit all the drivers were newbies or signing on or couldn’t get a job elsewhere due to going missing for a few days here and there.
Stayed about 6 months and was offered a job by a firm we subbed work for and they put me through class1 a bit later.
Got a great grounding in the job working there and have had half decent jobs since.
Realy don’t want to sound like some old codger here but when I read some of the posts from new drivers here I think what planet are you on seems lots want a top of the range truck with a cream job the day they walk out of the test centre with the pass certificate.
No i dont agree with you there.
I passed my test in March, and to start with, I had no intention of driving - I’d done it as an ambition, and just wanted to pass so I could say I’d done it. The trouble is, I started thinking ‘maybe the odd day would be good…’ I already have a full-time job, so thought the odd day would work well for me.
I contacted several of the local companies, and heard back from the one closest to me, asking if I was interested in full-time, or just part-time. I explained it was part-time, and what I was up to, and within 3 weeks I was doing odd days for them. This has grown, and I now do Thursday & Friday for them, and if things carry on as expected, will be full-time for them in November.
Several of the other companies I contacted used the 2 year bit, but the one I’m with took the attitude that everybody has to learn, the DSA have said that I can drive well enough to go on the road, and he’s happy with my attitude. The second day I was there, I was up the road in a MAN artic, with a curtainsider loaded to the gills with currants, off to Lancashire for two days. I was a gibbering wreck to start with, but settlled down in the end.
The company I drive for don’t have the newest lorries, they’re not top of the range Scanias, the money isn’t the greatest (although it’s not the worst either), but the atmosphere is great - a proper old-school attitude, and everybody gets on with each other and the job gets done. Some things you can’t put a price on…
Gary
when p.lowery and sons civil engineers put me through the test(would have done it myself anyway)they had me out the day after i passed,driving a grab lorry all over london.i could already use the crane,and have never looked back.best job and one of the best bosses i have ever had lol.very happy days
Passed class ‘C’ and got nowt so took C+E…passed on 5th July, licence sent off by examiner, got licence back 0930 23rd july and was in artic running pallets to Stafford at 1900 the same evening!
Tazbug
Passed my class 1 in november 1991 at 21 drove 7 1\2 ton untill january 92 took my dad to work and they had a couple of drivers off sick went home got my n/o gear and went to milan first time i drove class 1 after passing my test straight in the deep end