Got a call from the agency asking if i could do some class2 work at the last minute will be about 12 drops they said. Ok i thought sounds a lot for the first time but as no time limits i’d give it a go, as i need to get back in the cab after 3months since passing. I took all my gear that i would need “or so i thought” and headed off to the company. I get there the truck is loaded and guy says they are all in order so first of all its a 26 tonner i learnt in 16 and this is an iveco with knockover box which ive never used! Anyway i set off and things seem to be going ok until i get to first drop which is just some guys house in an estate! Struggling to get down the road was an understatement anyway i manage to get his delivery dropped off and squeeze out of there just.
Then the nightmare begins, i realize i have not got a fully charged phone which my sat nav is on and no charger i spend an hour getting lost and then turning right out of a tight side street it happens i manage to sideswipe a parked car. After swapping details and calling agency and client etc my confidence is now in tatters client says just carry on if you can so i do but cannot find the next drop the yard eventually calls and says meet at this industrial estate and another driver will meet you there.
Two drivers arrive and split some of my load between them and i get told i will be swapping trucks and driving his back to base, along the way i have one pickup to do which i manage with directions from the
yard only to find i cant get the tailift to work under and over type which i have not used before! Guy feels sorry for me and borrows a foklift to load it on then i return to base with my tail between my legs and an insurance form to fill out.
Sounds like a right arse of a day! Most of us have had at least one (I certainly have). The only way is up. You won’t need me to tell you it’s a good idea to carry maps. All the best, Pete
Sounds like an awful first day, one you’ll never forget! What were you delivering exactly? Bet that was a bit of a learning curve from driving a 16 tonner eh?
Opps you’r day didn’t go well did it , we all get bad days, don’t dwell on it ,take it as water off a ducks back - tomorows a new day so look forward not back. we all learn something from good or bad experiences thats how we become wiser people Next time you’ll be better prepared (with a map)& the sooner you get out & do another drive the better, to boost your confidence, happy trucking
chris_89:
Sounds like an awful first day, one you’ll never forget! What were you delivering exactly? Bet that was a bit of a learning curve from driving a 16 tonner eh?
yeah just a little chris that drop was a cast iron stove for a guys front room helped him handball it in his front room hehe . Im going to try take the positive from it in that i got to experience driving 2 different big trucks 1 manual and one auto and in peak traffic day and night
sounds like you had a nightmare…when on a new vehicle you have to be 100% focused on the job in hand…it sounds like from the sat-nav problem/finding it hard to navigate… your mind was everywhere except on the job in hand and that should of been getting your vehicle and the load to the next job in one piece with no damage to other vehicles or property…
maps 1st satnav 2nd…maps dont have batterys that die,fuses that blow and there not liked by thieves…
a tip for you that i used to do when i was multi dropping…get your map and find all your jobs in the a-z ie rd name and circle the rd in lumi marker…by doing this as you plot the location you can see if its on a tight rd/near a school etc…you may even know where it is after plotting it… when you just put a postcode in a sat nav it could be anywhere and you just listen and look at a screen rd by rd and you dont learn or take any areas on board…you re restricting yourself by only seeing half the picture so to say.
by plotting all your drops on the map and putting the grid ref on your notes its just a case of when you ve done one job look the next one up…you then know how far it is by the map,have a quick look at the route for obvious obstructions bridges etc then put the postcode in your sat nav and let it help you get to your location…if you re ever in doubt on the route…stop look at the map check on the sat nav then carry on…if you have the customers details ie phone number…phone them if you need to…multi dropping in my opinion is all about being organised and 10-15 mins in the morning planning your day could save you a lot of time later on in the day…once everything is planned you can concentrate on driving the vehicle,safely and effeciently…
i hope it hasnt come across patronising…we all have bad days…learn from it move on and next time if you re well organised your day might not turn out as bad as todays…
good luck and keep at it
clarkyboy:
learn from it move on and next time if you re well organised your day might not turn out as bad as todays…
good luck and keep at it
andy
Thats the good thing about this site I’ve learned from “it” and I’ve not even started driving the trucks, the don’t just rely on sat nav seems like good advice I’ll be taking. I suppose what it shows to the unexperienced like myself is that the domestic car journeys we are used to getting by on sat nav is very different from a multi drop in 26 tonner.
Sorry to hear about your bad day muzza as they say things can only get better.
What an awful day but hopefully you have it out the way and onwards and upwards , if i ever in tight spots i get out first and look and then get out again and look more if other drivers get annoyed at me i dont care as long as i get through without mishap and car drivers hate waiting for trucks to do anything so i never take it personel they just impatient anyway an extra 5 mins wait who cares !!
I hope things get better now and you have had some good learning curves at least over and done with now
Been there, done that, got the T shirt.
Sounds easy, but try and just stop and take a deep breath when the panic sets in.
As mentioned another 5 minutes will not make any difference and if people have to wait, tough you know what.
With regards to tight manouervering someone said to me “if you don’t know, don’t go”.
Get out and check, 30 seconds doing so is a lot less hessle then filling in insurance forms.
Put it down to experience and look forward to your next assignment
As has been said,put it down to experience,at least you gave it a go,I know some people who passed their test years ago,but who have never driven a wagon,as long as you learn from your mistakes that’s the main thing.
And we’ve ALL made mistakes,don’t beat yourself up over it.
Though you may feel you’re not holding any cards, speak to the agency (s) and see if they can find you a few trunking runs. You’ll probably have to do nights but usually there’s next to no pressure and you don’t do much driving in towns. IMHO, it’ll give you that little bit of time behind the wheel to get your confidence back and get properly used to the size of the thing.
You’ll find you get more 26 tonners than 18s, they’re no different really though, chin up you’ll get there quick enough.
If it helps, I’ve been driving since I joined this site, nearly 3yrs iirc, class 1 for the last 3mths and I had my first bump ever the other day, what I was doing though- id’ve bumped the car even in a 7.5t it happens I guess, we’re on the road for so long and for so many miles it’s nearly inevitable really, all you can do is try to minimise the damage as much as possible, and I guess forward planning and observation are the only things that’ll allow you to do that.
Another who has been there and done it. I swiped a car with the rear of my trailer in my first week of driving C&E, it does knock your confidence. The best thing to do is to get straight back behind the wheel though, dont dwell on it, these things happen to both new and experienced drivers.
I’ve also had the gear box thing to, i’d been using 4/4 and auto’s for a year, then got sent out in a 3/3 Scania. No-one told me it was 3/3, i had never used one before and even the high/low range switch was in a different place. I caused absolute carnage on the roads that day
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement all, i went to the agency today as they wanted me to write down what happened and i got paid! I’m hoping they will have something for me next week as i’ve now got some A to Z street maps and am eager to get back out there
Wouldn’t you be better getting a phone charger and hands free ear pirece as well
FFS its not hard to plan what you need - this forum is a gold mine of info for the first timer
Even a 12/24 inverter and laptop with any version of auto route is a start
Word from the wise - don’t rely on prat navs - they are for cars - and can lead you right in the ■■■ if you follow them blindly in any wagon
plan your route and drive it without refering to the nav device until you are close then they are worth their weight in gold
alert and watching the signs ,roads, parked cars etc rather than watching a prat nav is best - then once within a few miles use it to drop you on the delivery is best
cheers
Steve
i manage to sideswipe a parked car. After swapping details and calling agency and client etc my confidence is now in tatters client says just carry on if you can so i do but cannot find the next drop the yard eventually calls and says meet at this industrial estate and another driver will meet you there.
, we all get bad days, don’t dwell on it ,take it as water off a ducks back - tomorows a new day so look forward not back. we all learn something from good or bad experiences thats how we become wiser people 
