As the subject suggests I have my first day of agency work coming up in a few weeks, working out of the Poundland depot in Normanton, seems like a pretty good gig for my first proper go at commercial driving. The girl at the agency said she would try get me starting out doing shunting between Normanton and Garforth to get used to reversing and handling the trailer, then afer a couple of weeks doing 1 drop runs down to Coventry or somewhere similar. Has anyone had any experience with this depot before, or poundland in general? Also, what sort of kit should I take? Ive already got the obvious bits squared away, high vis, safety boots, torch, HGV sat nav etc, anything I might not have thought of?
Congratulations on finding an agency who apparently understand the needs of a new driver and seem to be willing to accommodate you. Let’s hope they are true to their word and don’t just feed you to the dogs as soon as you’re up and running.
You’ll quickly discover for yourself the things you’ll want with you. Maybe think about emergency rations, toothbrush and change of underwear in case you get caught out overnight. The underwear may also come in handy for your first few reverses…
There are several threads in the forums about what drivers keep in their driver’s bags so you might find something of interest in there. Everyone is different, so what is important to others may not matter to you. Some of it will also depend on the type of work you’re doing.
An atlas with bridge heights and weight limits is handy in case you get sent off route due to road closure or the power for the sat nav dies.
Each truck and trailer driven, check the height as trailer heights are different, do not rely on the marker inside the cab, that could set incorrectly.
If end up doing shop deliveries after the probation period, some could be difficult behind shopping centers with double parked cars, if so, go in the shop and ask somebody to act as a banksman to help you reverse in or turn around.
If there is nobody to help, collar a member of public passing by.
A clip board is handy to keep paper work tidy, a kitchen timer to monitor driving hours, a tupperware box to store pens and odds and sods, phone charger, sleeping bag in case you have to stop out, due to being delayed in an accident/road closure or severe weather, nothing worse than sleeping in clothes.
Note pad, camera for evidence of crashes or insurance scams/fraud.Bottled water from Aldi/Lidl, to save being ripped off on Msa`s.
Contact numbers for breakdowns and tyre call out, that should be in the cab or ask the manager.
Sunglasses for sunny days.
Thanks guys!
I’ve accepted I’ll probably be sat around for hours waiting for a unit, but that’s all part and parcel of it I suppose
It can only lead onto bigger and better things!
Just take your time, its a lot easier explaining away why it took you an hour to shunt 4 trailers than having to explain why all four trailers look like they are ready for the scrapheap!
Like any store delivery company once your out on the road Wether you have been driving a week or years you will be expected to get to the stores on your run list.
Not sure what pound world are like but where I am at poundland but to go out with a 45ft full with store deliveries and 6 drops isn’t unusual.
Just make sure you get what the agency said as all agencies are full of bs just to get you working.
Any carrier bag is acceptable even a stobarts one as long as it’s got a number for the spotters to tick off
