So I passed my class 2 last month but as I work full time Mon-Fri (non driving) I’ve been looking for weekend shifts in and around the Glasgow area to gain experience which I badly need, I wouldn’t know how to strap a load, work with curtains or even use a tacho!
I’ve registered with 3/4 agencies and sent off over 30 applications for full time positions but so far nothing! The agencies have been useless, one phoned me yesterday offering me my 1st shift today which I was delighted to get but arrived this morning at 7am and the place didn’t exist! No such company there.
Called the agency when they opened and they didn’t seem to know why? To say I was annoyed would be an understatement! I’ve heard nothing from the others either, all they’ve said is that it’s quiet, not much at weekends etc.
So I’m reluctant to quit my full time job as not getting any work would mean no money which is no good. Having thought about it in hindsight, I should’ve went straight to class 1 as there seems to be tons of work available for that.
Do I hold out for clsss 2 work, will it pick up? Or try and find money that I don’t have do to do class 1 ?
I’ve had a pretty disappointing week, too. I’ve visited multiple companies, only one said “no - you need 2 years experience for insurance reasons”. The others took my details, and I even had an interview with the owner of one place, but they didn’t call back as they said they would.
Things are definitely picking up. With the help of a forum member, I got a new job today but I’ve been looking for the past 3 weeks. Hadn’t really got anywhere other than some work at Brakes in Warrington or a place in Runcorn, both of which were just to far away.
Back end of last week and so far this week, I have seen many more new jobs popping up. Pretty confident I would have found something if I hadn’t fallen lucky.
You’re probably going to have to be willing to quit your job at short notice though. Especially with agencies. And don’t be afraid to take some 7.5t work. My first 6 months after passing in October 2020 were on 7.5t. Through an agency but working for Benson’s for Beds. Now I don’t know how viable it is for you to travel to Ayr, but they have a depot there and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were to offer you a job.
Pretty sure it’s £29k as well, at least that’s what they are paying out of Accrington these day.
Yes there is lots of work now coming out but having read some of the reviews and spoken to the drivers who deliver to me it appears some of the companies are to be avoided!
In my current NHS job I take home £410 per week for a ■■■■ easy job doing some stores work, Mon-Fri 42 hrs but I can usually skive a right few of them off It’s boring though as It’s went the way of more computer based work and less manual, It’s also a dead end as I’ll never get my wage up apart from the yearly 2% and the management are complete bellends!
I might be in with a shout with Arr Craib who have a depot less than 15 mins from me. I’ve also applied to some other locals such as John G Russell, Streamline shipping who are both containers but also do class 2 haulage. There’s plenty of others near me too such as Wicanton and Bullet express but they dont get many good reports from the people I’ve spoke to about working for them.
dont be put off too much about what other drivers tell you. You might be on a different contract to them or doing a different route. The other thing i found was alot of the drivers that moan the loudest have been there the longest.
have you thought about doing rdc work? its what i am currently doing. I get 6-9 drops aday on average and all i have to do is wheel the cage(s) onto the taillift and lower them to the ground. the store staff then take them into the store.
cooper1203:
dont be put off too much about what other drivers tell you. You might be on a different contract to them or doing a different route. The other thing i found was alot of the drivers that moan the loudest have been there the longest.
have you thought about doing rdc work? its what i am currently doing. I get 6-9 drops aday on average and all i have to do is wheel the cage(s) onto the taillift and lower them to the ground. the store staff then take them into the store.
Do you get class 2 RDC work though? I thought it was class 1 for that. That is the type of work that I would like.
I’ve been keeping an eye out for jobs up at euro central and Newhouse here which have a lot of RDC’s for Lidl, Aldi and Co op etc
cooper1203:
dont be put off too much about what other drivers tell you. You might be on a different contract to them or doing a different route. The other thing i found was alot of the drivers that moan the loudest have been there the longest.
have you thought about doing rdc work? its what i am currently doing. I get 6-9 drops aday on average and all i have to do is wheel the cage(s) onto the taillift and lower them to the ground. the store staff then take them into the store.
Do you get class 2 RDC work though? I thought it was class 1 for that. That is the type of work that I would like.
I’ve been keeping an eye out for jobs up at euro central and Newhouse here which have a lot of RDC’s for Lidl, Aldi and Co op etc
im doing supermarket work so i run from the rdc to the smaller stores
Update for this, I had my 1st shift today and it was a bit of a mixed bag! Agency shift for local cash & carry. Turned up at 6.30am and heart sank when I saw the 26 ton trucks waiting to go out and hoped they weren’t going to ask me to drive one alone.
Not to worry as I spoke to the transport guy and told him I’d no experience at all, but he new this from the agency and paired me with another agency driver. This is where it went a bit downhill from here. Agency guy asked if me if I wanted him to drive at first which suited me but when we got in the truck, a one year old DAF he put both out cards in started it up and drove off!!
I asked about vehicle checks etc but he said not worry he’ll fill the sheet in later! I said I’m not happy with that so not a good start. Also, the cab was filthy, rubbish every where and just not a clean area in general (neither was the agency guy) We had 8 drops with 2 pallets for each but after getting to 1st drop we discovered the pallet truck was broke! Wouldn’t lift up, only went back/forwards. He had done a number of shifts here so he fetched the pallet truck but didn’t check it worked! So we then had to Handball the stuff into shops which was a right ballache.
Worked to half 11 and then I mentioned 15 min break which he’d forgot about so he put both cards on break while we were doing another drop but getting back in the truck he discovered that the cards had been on other work! I was proper mad now but more with myself for not checking my own but as it was my first outing I was expecting him to have some knowledge at least but he had a CGAF attitude. So I said I’m not going anywhere until the Tachos on break for a half hour for which we sat in silence.
After the break I said I’d like to drive for a bit, so I drove the truck back to base from the last drop which was about 50/60 miles that was about the highlight of the day for me.
Back at base the transport guy asked if I would be back next week but said I’d think about after speaking with agency. I would be happy to go back but would need a different co pilot. I suppose it was a steep bit of learning but overall not a good start to my driving career.
Steep learning curve! But I think you’ve started pretty much at the bottom. I’ve never had the experience of going out with another driver who has driven, so thankfully I’ve always been in control of that. I think my most enjoyable days have been when I go out alone.
I’m really surprised the company has one year old trucks and allows them to get that dirty and none should be going out without checks.
I’m not sure I would dismiss the possibility of going back to the same place, sounds like it could easily be a lot better. (Being in control, making sure you have working equipment.)
jimmea:
Update for this, I had my 1st shift today and it was a bit of a mixed bag! Agency shift for local cash & carry. Turned up at 6.30am and heart sank when I saw the 26 ton trucks waiting to go out and hoped they weren’t going to ask me to drive one alone.
Not to worry as I spoke to the transport guy and told him I’d no experience at all, but he new this from the agency and paired me with another agency driver. This is where it went a bit downhill from here. Agency guy asked if me if I wanted him to drive at first which suited me but when we got in the truck, a one year old DAF he put both out cards in started it up and drove off!!
I asked about vehicle checks etc but he said not worry he’ll fill the sheet in later! I said I’m not happy with that so not a good start. Also, the cab was filthy, rubbish every where and just not a clean area in general (neither was the agency guy) We had 8 drops with 2 pallets for each but after getting to 1st drop we discovered the pallet truck was broke! Wouldn’t lift up, only went back/forwards. He had done a number of shifts here so he fetched the pallet truck but didn’t check it worked! So we then had to Handball the stuff into shops which was a right ballache.
Worked to half 11 and then I mentioned 15 min break which he’d forgot about so he put both cards on break while we were doing another drop but getting back in the truck he discovered that the cards had been on other work! I was proper mad now but more with myself for not checking my own but as it was my first outing I was expecting him to have some knowledge at least but he had a CGAF attitude. So I said I’m not going anywhere until the Tachos on break for a half hour for which we sat in silence.
After the break I said I’d like to drive for a bit, so I drove the truck back to base from the last drop which was about 50/60 miles that was about the highlight of the day for me.
Back at base the transport guy asked if I would be back next week but said I’d think about after speaking with agency. I would be happy to go back but would need a different co pilot. I suppose it was a steep bit of learning but overall not a good start to my driving career.
Sounds like you’d have been better off going out on your own!
I understand your frustration that you want to do the job properly. however it sounds like you know what to do as far as the tacho breaks etc. My tuppence worth is stick with it to gain the confidence of driving the thing. first job i had i was shadowing someone and found that shadowing someone was usefull as i could gain experience of the vehicle with out worrying about the technicalitys of the job and vice versa
I’ve been offered a full time class 2 job with Arr Craib after my driving assessment yesterday. Mon-Fri, 8-5 and approx 31k per year. The depot is a 10 min walk from my house too.
The work is pallets, delivery and collection from 18t curtain side trucks. Full training provided during 3 month probation period, Pension but no sick pay scheme, weekly pay and overtime available if required.
It’ll be difficult moving from my cushy office job after 24 years but If I want to get moving then this is my chance.
It’s boring though as It’s went the way of more computer based work and less manual, It’s also a dead end as I’ll never get my wage up apart from the yearly 2% and the management are complete bellends!