Is it me or is this forum full of doom and gloom for new drivers ■■?
I have booked my class 2 lessons/test and once passed will be doing my class 1 test, that was until i came on this forum,
Now i am wondering if there is any point to spending all my hard earned brass, just to be told by everyone, come back in 2 years…
I realise the sooner i pass, the sooner 2 years will come, but i was hoping to start driving before 2 years time…
Realistically, is their any point in becomming a Class 1 driver as it sounds and reads on this forum as though its a closed syndicate of drivers and no new comers are welcome !!!
My plan after passing tests, was to go to some smaller haulage companies and offer my services on a self employed basis, is this a crazy idea or could it work■■?
Hi and welcome to my 2 pennyworth! Truck driving is no different to any other career - you start at the bottom, take the rough work/vehicles/pay and, eventually, work your way up. I always make it clear that the chances of leaving my training centre with the ink still wet on the licence and climbing into a shiny new Scania and £700 are virtually NIL.
Equally, if you sit at home and expect the agencies to come running to you , you’ll be disappointed. You say this forum is full of negativity regarding jobs for new drivers - - there’s also plenty of very good news with new drivers getting full time permanent work - and not bad work at that! New drivers need interview skills the same as anyone else does - otherwise - no job.
You must get yourself about, show willing, bang on doors till they’re sick of seeing you. You will get a start. Ignore the “must have 2 years experience”. Always apply. When the truck is stood in the corner cos there’s no driver but you’re banging on their door, what do you think will happen? I wouldn’t think the self employed route would be good with the lack of experience.
I would certainly go for the class 1 (CE) as this makes you more employable. But be prepared to drive anything from a Transit having trained on CE.
The very best of luck, stay positive, and enjoy. Pete
rickybb:
Is it me or is this forum full of doom and gloom for new drivers ■■?
No I don’t think this forum is full of doom and gloom, if you read the threads you’ll find that some new drivers have been lucky enough to get jobs in a reasonably short time after passing the test.
Although this is the new drivers forum it is read by many experienced drivers who have long since discarded the rose coloured glasses and see things in road haulage as it is, and also tell it as it is
The simple fact is that we as a country are in a financial crisis, things will get better but until they do road haulage like most other industries is in decline, therefore drivers are abundant whilst driving jobs aren’t.
As a new and inexperienced driver you are at the bottom of the ladder and having to compete with people who know the job inside out but many new drivers have done it and I’m sure many more will in the future.
So, hopefully, work will come my way, especially knowing that it “might” be worth applying to the minimum 2yrs jobs as well…
I realise that in every industry jobs are thin on the ground at present times,
I am Very fortunate that i dont need a full time job to start with as my current situation will hopefully last for another 6>>12 months, fingers crossed, so i just need as much “one off” days experince as possible, driving different wagons, class 1 and 2…
I was just beginning to think that nothing would come my way for 2 years !!!
If you’re current job is good for another 6 months then id be inclined to stay in it for a while, you can still do the odd weekend driving and you can keep looking for driving jobs while not having to worry about where or how the next pay cheque is coming from. I’m not looking forward to january. I love driving, (which my instructor was surprised at, as a lot of his pupils were just doing it for the money, which in my view isn’t right) and I love whatever job I get from the agencies but what i don’t love is the hugely varying pay each week. One day I’ll land a nice permanent class 2 job that pays more than £250 a week. Then i won’t have to worry about stuff too much, I can live on that per week but trust me its no life.
mate i dont know where you are based but you could walk into a job straight away at sports direct based in shirebrook M1 junc 29 they like fresh drivers so they can mould them to how like em to be i work for them as an self employed driver money is good,most shifts are double manned,on average 15-18 hours and ive been driving class 1 for 14 years and im still wet behind the ears
