Not wishing to be presented with the ‘prestige contract’ or ‘great opportunity’ non driving contracts at £6.50 hour working my nuts off, I am planning to return to driving now. Had HGV and PSV for many years and up to date with CPC etc, but wondering whether getting additional cards or certificates would help?
Am definitely not looking to do shop or home deliveries which seem to dominate much of the agency work out there, so as the guys at Tosco would say - every little helps, especially where having an advantage in the job market is concerned perhaps.
Currently looking at CSCS card, which will cost £47.50 with the test and card, so not a major investment, but slightly more expensive is things like ADR, forklift etc. Do you guys think these sort of things are worth having? Don’t mind parting with the cash, providing they are going to be of actual benefit.
Any input, thoughts, or suggestions are welcome. 
Depends on the type of work you WANT to do.
I have my ADR, and it CAN (read CAN) open more doors or get you a job you wouldn’t have got otherwise, but don’t expect any financial compensation for it.
FLT again can help, especially with smaller firms.
HIAB once again, is very popular and lots of work out there for HIAB drivers, but the pay isn’t always reflecting the responsiblilty IMHO
waynedl:
Depends on the type of work you WANT to do.
In an ideal world, I’d like to do industrial deliveries steel, machinery, or general haulage on local or mid distance, or construction related deliveries. This is the type of work I am used to and most experienced with. Most of what I see out there at the moment is the usual crap of multi drop shop deliveries, or mauling with home deliveries for the likes of Argos. (You can ALWAYS get work at the Argos place at Acton Gate.) Much of the other work is tramping, which is ok if you don’t have a home to go to, but call me old fashioned for preferring sleeping in a proper bedroom rather than a rubbish strewn layby. 
Have already booked myself for the test to get my CSCS card this week now, as that handy for quite a few roles, but while I am going down that route, was thinking what else in the way of training might give me an advantage in the job market?
Aside from ADR you don’t really need anything for general haulage apart from a “can do” attitude.
ROG:
FORKLIFT
There is a place quite close to me that does RTITB registered Forklift training. Course is 3 or 5 days depending upon your ability and works out at £350 to £500 including license fees, so quite reasonable. Looking at the Jobcentre site though, I have seen FLT jobs advertised at minimum wage or not much above it. Some employers want the skill sets, but don’t appear to want to pay for them. 
HIAB I looked at, as used to deliver wheel sets for trains to some quite remote sidings etc before licenses were needed, but most HIAB work now seems to be your Travis Perkins and Wickes type stuff, with very heavy handball in some locations.
ADR is something I really need to look at as most pay rates are at least a pound a hour more than for non ADR in this part of the country. Lots of different categories and exams involved, so that something I’d need to go into much more depth with.
Finally there is the Epic Card, which seems to be a pre-requisite for some tipper work running working from quarries, although some are advertised as Epic Card preferred?
Oh for the old days when you didn’t need a wad full of cards to go to work - or get work… 
My guess is forklift and ADR tickets…
Do you need ADR for liquid and granular fertilizer…■■
EPIC card if you’re insane enough to want to deliver for Hansons, as their subbies delivering to our yard have the drivers’ name and EPIC number on the ticket.
Talking of Wickes, Jewsons etc, they expect Hiab and you can expect a crap job for crap money.
LIBERTY_GUY:
ADR is something I really need to look at as most pay rates are at least a pound a hour more than for non ADR in this part of the country. Lots of different categories and exams involved, so that something I’d need to go into much more depth with.
DieselDave is the resident ADR expert, but here is my understanding.
For ADR you must take the Core, one or more Classes of dangerous goods, and one or both Modes.
Very few people need Class 1 (explosives) or Class 7 (radioactive). Each of these Classes requires a dedicated one day course that relatively few trainers run. Unless you are certain you need them, don’t bother.
You can take the remaining Classes as a ‘job lot’ - which is probably the best option unless you know that a single Class will suffice because you’re always hauling the same dangerous goods.
That just leaves the Modes - Tanks, Other than in Tanks or both. A lot of ADR work is Other than in Tanks. Tanks is only needed for certain more niche work, such as petrol tankers.
The popular choice is therefore Core, Classes 2-6, 8 and 9, Other than in Tanks, and possibly Tanks as well. If you train with a dCPC registered outfit and pay the upload fee, an initial ADR course of that specification will probably get you either 21 hours (without Tanks) or 28 hours (with Tanks).
djw:
LIBERTY_GUY:
ADR is something I really need to look at as most pay rates are at least a pound a hour more than for non ADR in this part of the country. Lots of different categories and exams involved, so that something I’d need to go into much more depth with.
For ADR you must take the Core, one or more Classes of dangerous goods, and one or both Modes.
The popular choice is therefore Core, Classes 2-6, 8 and 9, Other than in Tanks, and possibly Tanks as well. If you train with a dCPC registered outfit and pay the upload fee, an initial ADR course of that specification will probably get you either 21 hours (without Tanks) or 28 hours (with Tanks).
Thanks DJW The setup of ADR is quite confusing to those not used to it.
I think to get into petrol tankers you have to wait for someone to die or have relatives in management at the depots, as it is generally very well paid with not many people leaving.
In a word no, you don’t get paid more for anything other than ADR which is a niche sector, anything to do with for profit transport is finished and has been for many years you will do 2 weeks for for a weeks money.
Go and work agency and see what you like, you’re doing you’re homework and getting paid at the same time, now is a good time to be in transport we struggle to get good drivers at my place with rates for agency as high as £16 and the low of £11 most of our regulars don’t work for anyone else, of course this depends where you are in the country, back of beyond you take what you can, near the hubs you can pick and choose.
My advice forget about extra qualifications in the meantime and avoid the for profit sector like the plague.
mike68:
In a word no, you don’t get paid more for anything other than ADR which is a niche sector, anything to do with for profit transport is finished and has been for many years you will do 2 weeks for for a weeks money.
Go and work agency and see what you like, you’re doing you’re homework and getting paid at the same time, now is a good time to be in transport we struggle to get good drivers at my place with rates for agency as high as £16 and the low of £11 most of our regulars don’t work for anyone else, of course this depends where you are in the country, back of beyond you take what you can, near the hubs you can pick and choose.
My advice forget about extra qualifications in the meantime and avoid the for profit sector like the plague.
Thanks Mike68.
Certainly not in the back of beyond as just five minutes From M6 and M54 motorways in Staffordshire. 
The agencies around here advertise steel deliveries, trunking work etc., although the reality when you register with them is they are just after folks to do the multi drop shop and home deliveries that nobody wants to touch with a bargepole (myself included). Can think of one agency that won’t even offer you anything unless you go umbrella, which is why they can never get drivers. 
I’m looking at getting extra qualifications to get more into niche roles, but obviously have to look at the investment/reward ratio.
Radar19:
you don’t really need anything for general haulage apart from a “can do” attitude.
That actually made me cringe
Thanks for all the input guys, it is much appreciated.
Am sitting the CSCS test this Friday afternoon, which is just a multi choice thing. Even with the cost of having to register with the CITB afterwards and pay for the card itself, it will still work out less than a days questionable CPC ‘training’.
Looking at prices, as a rough guideline I have found ADR training at £295 to £500 putting it on par with FLT costs. To get an Epic card is around the £125 mark and HIAB training is very pricey at around £460 for two days training. At one time many moons ago, a lot of employers would have put you forward for these, whereas nowadays the onus seems to be on the driver to have them when they start. A lot of us on the drivers dcpc were actually self paying applicants, including a couple of guys in long term employment.
mike68:
In a word no, you don’t get paid more for anything other than ADR which is a niche sector, anything to do with for profit transport is finished and has been for many years you will do 2 weeks for for a weeks money.
Go and work agency and see what you like, you’re doing you’re homework and getting paid at the same time, now is a good time to be in transport we struggle to get good drivers at my place with rates for agency as high as £16 and the low of £11 most of our regulars don’t work for anyone else, of course this depends where you are in the country, back of beyond you take what you can, near the hubs you can pick and choose.
My advice forget about extra qualifications in the meantime and avoid the for profit sector like the plague.
The above post should be a sticky on the forum home page.
Nail head squarely struck.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Thanks for all the input guys, it is much appreciated.
Am sitting the CSCS test this Friday afternoon, which is just a multi choice thing. Even with the cost of having to register with the CITB afterwards and pay for the card itself, it will still work out less than a days questionable CPC ‘training’.
Looking at prices, as a rough guideline I have found ADR training at £295 to £500 putting it on par with FLT costs. To get an Epic card is around the £125 mark and HIAB training is very pricey at around £460 for two days training. At one time many moons ago, a lot of employers would have put you forward for these, whereas nowadays the onus seems to be on the driver to have them when they start. A lot of us on the drivers dcpc were actually self paying applicants, including a couple of guys in long term employment.
A lot of companies - and some agencies - will put you through your HIAB if required for the job.
David Bratts up here would.
Also, Best Connection or Driver Hire - I can’t remember which - had an advert for Class 2 drivers to be trained in HIAB required not long ago.
In a word, yes.
I was put through my Hiab and cscs 4 years ago, after the firm I was working for bought what was at the time, the biggest crane lorry in East Yorkshire. Sadly, they had no regular work for it, so after too many weeks of 40 hours in the yard, I booked 2 days’’ holiday and went looking for crane work. As a result of those qualifications, and my experience, I was offered 3 jobs on the first day, one of which I jumped at.
Been here 2 years now, and this is the best job I’ve ever had, worth every minute of my weekly 2 hour commute. Every day is different, great variety of work, get to some fabulous places, meet some very nice folk. After 4 years driving rigids, I’ve just been “given” an artic with a 50 ton/metre crane, and being quite honest, I genuinely enjoy my job.
No pressure, treated like an intelligent human being, and paid a ■■■■ good wage for what is essentially sightseeing around the UK, interspersed with the odd hour of “real” work 
.
A mate of mine did his hiab ticket, and already had a moffet licence, and he’s just found a cushy little number doing bricks. 12 hours a day, no nights out, £600 in the bank a week and it’s in the Midlands. I have an adr, not worth much, £5 a box, usually do 3-4 a week so it mounts up over a year. Plus I didn’t pay for it, and I got 3 cpc modules out of the way. I know of a firm that do haz waste skips, all ro ro wagon and drags, tramping in fmx’s and it pays 1k a week before tax. Needless to say they don’t need to advertise
threewheelsonmywagon:
In a word, yes.
I was put through my Hiab and cscs 4 years ago, after the firm I was working for bought what was at the time, the biggest crane lorry in East Yorkshire. Sadly, they had no regular work for it, so after too many weeks of 40 hours in the yard, I booked 2 days’’ holiday and went looking for crane work. As a result of those qualifications, and my experience, I was offered 3 jobs on the first day, one of which I jumped at.
Been here 2 years now, and this is the best job I’ve ever had, worth every minute of my weekly 2 hour commute. Every day is different, great variety of work, get to some fabulous places, meet some very nice folk. After 4 years driving rigids, I’ve just been “given” an artic with a 50 ton/metre crane, and being quite honest, I genuinely enjoy my job.
No pressure, treated like an intelligent human being, and paid a ■■■■ good wage for what is essentially sightseeing around the UK, interspersed with the odd hour of “real” work .
I’d love to go on the proper big cranes.
I’ve no problem driving really slowly, and no major issues with heights, although like most people I do get butterflies, but I don’t freeze or panic.
I’d love to go in those massive construction cranes around London too