I think that the planners have let you down badly here,they must have known that you were not that experienced.
I use a basic car Sat Nav and a AA Map of UK (that’s a few years old)… then I look at the road ahead, and read the signs!!
Haven’t hit a bridge or gone down a weight-limit road etc etc - have had to change my route a few times to avoid such things and find a way round.
Stick with it - don’t quit at the first bad day, you’ll have plenty more bad days as you learn - it gets easier!!
switchlogic:
Come on everyone this isn’t helping the poor lad. A sat nav is a map on a screen, nothing more nohing less. When I plan a route on the sat nav I look at the written instructions and if there’s any B Roads or less in there I go to the map to see if they are essential. The other tip is common sense, try and avoid driving down lanes, a sat nav doesn’t take you anywhere, you steer the lorry. Use a satnav, but I agree with the others, get a map of the UK to make yourself familiar with the road layout so when someone says ‘go to Doncaster’ you can see 90% of the route in your head. I don’t use any maps anymore but I started driving before satnavs so can still find my way around without them. A useful skill.
Hear, hear!
I only passed my CE test 5 weeks ago and I have been given the opportunity to do odd weekends driving bulkers around East Anglia. Now on my third weekend and loving it, first day shaking like a leaf as I was given the keys to a Scania artic (which I soon found out was fully loaded… 
) but took my time, took my 15 minutes to not only give it a good check over, but to settle my nerves with a cup of tea, and was soon on my way.
Had to be initiated into the factory we deliver to, so that was another nervy moment, but the best of advice was mentioned earlier ==> take your time. To quote a film “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast” as in take it steady and do it right first time rather than rush and mess up.
I carry both a lorry map and a lorry Sat Nav (£50 steal off eBay, but another story all together), so I try to make the best of both worlds especially when trying to find the loading machine sat in a random field on the side of some B (or C, or smaller 
) road in Suffolk, as the sat nav gets you to a certain point and then get on the phone (or CB if close enough) to loader driver and get him to “direct” you in and following on the map.
My two pence worth: Don’t give up. Keep at it and it’s all about building up your level of experience. As someone else mentioned earlier: Everyone had a first day once… 
Yet another muppet who thought that becoming a trucker was an easy option. Too many of them sorts in the game nowadays and it is showing from the amount of damage being done.
Do these people not think before they start the lessons? do they think its going to be a breeze with days spent driving down scenic country roads admiring the views? All you will do is drive for 20 minutes from A to B then get your arse wiped for you in preparation of your return journey? I would indeed suggest going back to your old job because you are clearly disillusioned and have the totally wrong impression of what this job is all about.
Priceless!
A cheap option for you, if you have an android phone, you can get demo’s of truck nav’s on there for free for a trial period.
Other option, if you can get an old 520/530/540 tomtom, there are truck navcore and maps available online for free 
switchlogic:
Come on everyone this isn’t helping the poor lad. A sat nav is a map on a screen, nothing more nohing less. When I plan a route on the sat nav I look at the written instructions and if there’s any B Roads or less in there I go to the map to see if they are essential. The other tip is common sense, try and avoid driving down lanes, a sat nav doesn’t take you anywhere, you steer the lorry. Use a satnav, but I agree with the others, get a map of the UK to make yourself familiar with the road layout so when someone says ‘go to Doncaster’ you can see 90% of the route in your head. I don’t use any maps anymore but I started driving before satnavs so can still find my way around without them. A useful skill.You’ll be fine once you settle into it. A first day at anything is daunting, let alone driving a lorry with a traffic office on your back. Try to relax into it. You’ll have more bad days, I still do many years later, but they are less likely to make you question your abilities over time. I remember my first week. Was really tough, and much as I felt I wanted to jack it in I didn’t and stuck with it. Now look at me today, I’m Europe’s best driver, if only my mother could see me now, that reminds me, I must ring her…*
*This is a joke, for the terminally humourless
brilliant 
chester:
Are you suggesting a new driver buys in 2013 every map he may or may not go to?
No. Buy a Truckers Atlas and you don’t need to buy anymore than that. You’ve been doing this job for a few years but haven’t worked this out yet? Not very bright, are you? As I offered to Redrorry recently, remove your head from your arris, ask me nicely and I’ll tell you how to get from John O’Groats to Lands End without buying another map. I do have satnav btw, wonderful things when used with common sense allied to experience.
I’d have just been glad not to have broken anything on my first day. I can definitely say I didn’t get everything done the first day and they got the truck back in mostly one piece. Sometimes ■■■■ happens but I was very disappointed with myself as I’d let the pressure from the office get the better of me. My plan now is truck atlas, a-z, smart phone to help at far end to narrow it right down. I also switch phone off regardless of hands free and call them back when I stop somewhere. The phone constantly ringing just increased the pressure. Thing is that pressure is coming off the planner and on to you which you need to avoid. He/she can’t crash a desk because they’re trying to take in too much info.
Just to stick my two pennies in.
My bits of advice aren’t really any different but here goes.
If you have a satnav, I always found that Tomtom suited me best. I could download the low bridges onto it and have a warning when within 5 miles. This gave me the chance to pull up, study the route and find an alternative. ADD to this the fact that you can edit a map on the device, I would mark the road as closed and so it would never route me that way again. The same went for narrow lanes or weight limits.
Quite simply, use your common sense and dont blindly follow the little screen. Do get a decent atlas so you can get used to using both. The mental image from a map is priceless when you have been in the job for a while.
The first day on the job is always going to be the worst wherever you work. You need time to settle in an find your place in the company let alone get used to a new vehicle. So based on that, when you move on, you’ll only have to conquer 50% of what you are going through now.
I’m basically going to be in the same boat soon as I have only recently got my licences back but I have experience on my side. I struggled when I first started and absolutely detested nights out, but I got used to it and have just spent 3 years out of work for various reasons but mainly because I know nothing other than driving.
You will get there, it’s just a matter of keeping your cool. If you want a rough guide on how long, I would say a couple of months if that.
Good luck lad, trust me you WONT need it. 
I’ll add a little story just to show that your age wont matter.
My brother worked in a factory and ended up being made redundant. With his payout, he decided that he would go the whole hog and get his Class 1. It was a case of if my little bro can do it, then so can I. Lol
Off he pops, pays a fortune and gets his Class 2. While waiting for his next test date, he decided to phone the agencies and landed some work.
After a couple of days, he phoned me. The first words out of his mouth were “How do you do it?”. I had no idea what he was on about as they were literally his first words, so he repeated,“How do you do this day in day out? I’ve had everything short of ships and planes coming at me!!!”
LOL, I nearly wet myself. He spend almost £2000 getting his full HGV and never did anything with it. That was it, he got his Class 1 because he’d paid up front for it all, but never drove a HGV again.
He was 42 / 43 at the time and didn’t renew at 45. I wish I had money to waste like that!
switchlogic:
Come on everyone this isn’t helping the poor lad. A sat nav is a map on a screen, nothing more nohing less. When I plan a route on the sat nav I look at the written instructions and if there’s any B Roads or less in there I go to the map to see if they are essential. The other tip is common sense, try and avoid driving down lanes, a sat nav doesn’t take you anywhere, you steer the lorry. Use a satnav, but I agree with the others, get a map of the UK to make yourself familiar with the road layout so when someone says ‘go to Doncaster’ you can see 90% of the route in your head. I don’t use any maps anymore but I started driving before satnavs so can still find my way around without them. A useful skill.You’ll be fine once you settle into it. A first day at anything is daunting, let alone driving a lorry with a traffic office on your back. Try to relax into it. You’ll have more bad days, I still do many years later, but they are less likely to make you question your abilities over time. I remember my first week. Was really tough, and much as I felt I wanted to jack it in I didn’t and stuck with it. Now look at me today, I’m Europe’s best driver, if only my mother could see me now, that reminds me, I must ring her…*
*This is a joke, for the terminally humourless
My mother never forgive me for not turning up at nat west lewisham branch for the interveiw i got as a trainee cashier and getting a job in a breakers yard when i left school.
Judt think by now i could be the one harrasing the people in the queue to see if they want a mortgage.
Truckbling:
Yet another muppet who thought that becoming a trucker was an easy option. Too many of them sorts in the game nowadays and it is showing from the amount of damage being done.Do these people not think before they start the lessons? do they think its going to be a breeze with days spent driving down scenic country roads admiring the views? All you will do is drive for 20 minutes from A to B then get your arse wiped for you in preparation of your return journey? I would indeed suggest going back to your old job because you are clearly disillusioned and have the totally wrong impression of what this job is all about.
Priceless!
How very helpful. Nothing in his post said he came into this because it was a breeze, he said its something he always wanted to do. He’s had a tough day and this is your response. Maybe you’ve been perfect from the moment you dropped out of the womb but any of us can remember our first few weeks and many of us found it hard. I did. Beats me why any young drivers bother with attitudes like this amongst older drivers. I imagine you stand there sniggering with the other old cronies too when someone has difficulty reversing…
To the original poster, mate that took me back a few years. I’ve had days like that when nothing goes right and it’s the worst job in the world. Then there’s the days when the suns shining and everything goes well. It can seem overwhelming at times, but if it’s what you want to do stick with. Just stop for a moment and think about what you have to do.
As for maps, I’ve got loads, OS 1:5000, A-Z, Phillips Navigator, Collins (I like the town maps in them), AA Truckers atlas with bridge heights, and am sure there’s others.
Sat Nav, I got a Snooper s2000 when it first came out a few years ago, I’ve had the mapping updated etc. it’s the only sat Nav I’ve ever had and I think it’s a pile of ■■■■■■ Handy but still ■■■■■■ Just remember it’s an aide to navigation don’t follow it blindly, mine has tried to stitch me up a few times.
Lastly, if your having a bad day chances are your not the only one. Good luck,
You’re lucky mate, I never had Trucknet for advice, not that I needed it mind you, I was that good on my first day on the bendies I completed the first part of the trip without the need to even be in the cab.
I forgot to put the handbrake on when coupling up and headed off across the yard toward the fuel island with a fitter chasing me screaming “pull the ******* red air line” which I did and ended up in a heap on the catwalk tangled up in the lines covered in grease.
You did OK really, sat navs are great the only problem with them is you rely on them and won’t learn the roads, get a good road atlas and spend a little time planning your journey, don’t be afraid to ask other drivers for advice and take time to study the rules on drivers hours and always be aware of how much driving time and duty time you have before agreeing to a job.
Their is a great deal to learn, don’t be put off it’s early days my advice would be to get as close to the drop as possible by using a conventional map (this way you learn the major routes) and use the sat nav for the final part of the route, being a good driver is not so much about practical skills, it’s how you deal with difficult situations, a cool head and some forward planning is a good start.
My cab as got flowery curtains …
Brucewillis:
To the original poster, mate that took me back a few years. I’ve had days like that when nothing goes right and it’s the worst job in the world. Then there’s the days when the suns shining and everything goes well. It can seem overwhelming at times, but if it’s what you want to do stick with. Just stop for a moment and think about what you have to do.As for maps, I’ve got loads, OS 1:5000, A-Z, Phillips Navigator, Collins (I like the town maps in them), AA Truckers atlas with bridge heights, and am sure there’s others.
Sat Nav, I got a Snooper s2000 when it first came out a few years ago, I’ve had the mapping updated etc. it’s the only sat Nav I’ve ever had and I think it’s a pile of [zb]. Handy but still [zb]! Just remember it’s an aide to navigation don’t follow it blindly, mine has tried to stitch me up a few times.
Lastly, if your having a bad day chances are your not the only one. Good luck,
Yippycaiay mother ■■■■■■.
switchlogic:
Truckbling:
Yet another muppet who thought that becoming a trucker was an easy option. Too many of them sorts in the game nowadays and it is showing from the amount of damage being done.Do these people not think before they start the lessons? do they think its going to be a breeze with days spent driving down scenic country roads admiring the views? All you will do is drive for 20 minutes from A to B then get your arse wiped for you in preparation of your return journey? I would indeed suggest going back to your old job because you are clearly disillusioned and have the totally wrong impression of what this job is all about.
Priceless!
How very helpful. Nothing in his post said he came into this because it was a breeze, he said its something he always wanted to do. He’s had a tough day and this is your response. Maybe you’ve been perfect from the moment you dropped out of the womb but any of us can remember our first few weeks and many of us found it hard. I did. Beats me why any young drivers bother with attitudes like this amongst older drivers. I imagine you stand there sniggering with the other old cronies too when someone has difficulty reversing…
+1
Truckbling - there is no justification for that response. The lad had a bad day. We all get them, more so when you first start. Encouragement is required not derision.
I remember,back in the day, when I went for a trucking jobs they would sometimes give you a little test, after driving. Consisted of a set of questions around how to get from a to b such as,
We are in Newcastle, what roads would you use to get to Coventry? You would have to write down the route you would take. Couldn’t whip out a sat nav or a to z for that. Anyone else come across that?
As for the OP, relax matey, if anyone on here hasn’t had a shift similar to that they haven’t driven trucks very long. You’re living the dream!
Got to admit I didn’t have a first day quite as bad as you, but in my first few weeks of full time driving truck, I was on Multi drop tilt work.
I got lost more times than I can remember, had customers have a go at me, took umpteen attempts to back onto a loading bay watched by a load of drivers and warehouse staff and I hit a car getting into a tight side street in Stoke.
And I nearly gave up and jacked the job in, then things got easier, I’d either been to a place before or somewhere near it, I got better at reversing and I started to enjoy the job, 20+ years on I’m really pleased I didn’t give up, sure there have been other days since then I wish I wasn’t driving trucks, but I’ve also been to places done things and met people that would have never happened if I’d just given up.
The company seem to have given you a bit of a hand by putting you on slightly different job, so they still have a bit of faith in you, so take it easy keep learning, ask questions, build up your experience and get more confident, but don’t shy away from challenging yourself. remember.
That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
Friedrich Nietzsche
As for the sat nav, nothing wrong with it, use it in conjunction with a AA truckers atlas and a bit of common sense.
Plan your route from the atlas and enter any diversions you need because you’re in an HGV into the sat nav, then use common sense to look ahead and think that doesn’t look the right way to take a truck.
A to Z were great for their time, I had loads of them, one draw back, you dam well knew that the place you wanted was on a the fold in the pages or just outside the area covered.
Another draw back, driving down a busy high street looking for you turning and trying to read the A to Z was hardly an aid to road safety.
Another draw back the space in the cab taken up by A to Z’s.
Wouldnt worry about it m8 we all have moments like that at the begin lol when i first started as a class 1 driver. i got a call once i was near the destination and the boss told me the directions ( fat pr**k that he is . As a newbie i decided not to question his directions as hes the boss 45ft trailer down single track road after first turn there was no returning lol came to wee bridge tried to back it up and the drive axel became stuck in the verge lol 6 hrs later i felt like quiting but never mind i put it down to life experience never to relay on directions unless its a A road
Maybe it’s worth getting a bit more experience in a rigid first? I left it 5 years, and glad I had that experience before driving artics. It amazes me you can go straight through!!