First day on class one disaster

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
81

Even old hands can make mistakes mate so don’t beat yourself up! :smiley:

Today I was in Corby and watched a fellow (who I’ve seen delivering to the same place numerous times before) take out a gate with his tail swing (class 1) as his unit was at rightangles pulling out the narrow gateway back onto the industrial road.

Every other time I’ve watched him I’ve been in awe at how well he maneuvers that wagon about, but we ALL have bad days sometimes.

Chin up fella! Anything vocational (driving, plumbing, flying a plane!) has the habit of being REALLY good when it’s good, but REALLY ■■■■ when it’s ■■■■ :slight_smile:

82

Just reading through and there’s not much I can add that hasn’t been said but I’m glad today went well for you. My first day was a mere as well I was 18 and it was only in a 7.5 but I didn’t know my head From my arse I didn’t have a clue where I was going and my boss won’t let us use a sat nav so I took all the a-z,s home and spent the night with them all laid on the carpet trying to fathom out where xyz was. It takes time but first and foremost your main concern is that the lorry comes back at night un marked every thing else is secondary. Your boss will rather send you back out in the morning finishing a drop then have you stood in the yard all morning whilst your units being repaired believe me.

If there are some old hands in your yard talk to them. You will get the old school Heros that will shoot you down and laugh at your demise as you have already found out on here, a place I tip at has a new driver and whilst booking in some drivers and office staff were stood around taking the ■■■■ out off him. They didn’t like it when I called them all arse holes and instead off having a go behind his back to maybe go and help the bloke. You get it everywhere people don’t like change and some people think they were born with a class 1 licence and have never ■■■■■■ up its there age, their memories worsens just take it on the chin and feel sorry for there misfortune. You will also get the people that will be more than happy someone is willing to take the time to listen to some off there stories and take there advice. Pick and chose who you listen to you’ll know what I mean. The best advice I would give though is just always take pride in what you do you’ll find things get looked after better and in return you will be it sounds like you have a decent gaffer already so whilst everyone’s doing 20 drops a day and your doing 10 don’t worry just bring that motor back In one piece.

Most important off all try to enjoy it ffs. You’ve just spent a load off money to do something you say you really want to do and your sitting on your arse getting paid. Rrlax and calm down ■■■■ happens but when it’s dark and raining just think you could be working outside in it :slight_smile: . Best off luck.

83

On my first day, I had a cab phone that was locked and I could not unlock it.
I did not see that the second page was collections because someone had put a staple in the corner over the word ‘collections’. So I went back to the yard apologising because I did not have these pallets on my load.
And to top it all off, I was sent into Woolworths Swindon to sit there for 3 hours, only to have the load refused because my tail lift prevented dock access.

Every other day was sweeter.

My best advice is ask the other drivers if you aren’t sure. I have never had a driver sneer at me when I have asked questions. And in time, it is you answering the questions from other drivers. (Where’s this place, where is that place? Have you been here?) or even the transport manager (what is the hight limit at the outlet village? Can we get an artic in there?)

Map wise, get the Phillips series of maps. They help loads. Often have the names of farms on them. (I used to deliver various farm equipment in my multi drop schedule.)

84

Drift:
Jay mate, brilliant news, onwards and upwards my friend.
I am so chuffed I have decided to have another Glenlivet :sunglasses: cheers

+1, but mine will be a Glen Goyne!

85

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Drift:
Jay mate, brilliant news, onwards and upwards my friend.
I am so chuffed I have decided to have another Glenlivet :sunglasses: cheers

+1, but mine will be a Glen Goyne!

At this time of the morning? :open_mouth: :slight_smile:

86

Rhythm Thief:

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Drift:
Jay mate, brilliant news, onwards and upwards my friend.
I am so chuffed I have decided to have another Glenlivet :sunglasses: cheers

+1, but mine will be a Glen Goyne!

At this time of the morning? :open_mouth: :slight_smile:

Just come off a night shift, mmmm, might put it on my cornflakes. Nah, not gonna spoil a good whiskey :laughing:

87

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Rhythm Thief:

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Drift:
Jay mate, brilliant news, onwards and upwards my friend.
I am so chuffed I have decided to have another Glenlivet :sunglasses: cheers

+1, but mine will be a Glen Goyne!

At this time of the morning? :open_mouth: :slight_smile:

Just come off a night shift, mmmm, might put it on my cornflakes. Nah, not gonna spoil a good whiskey :laughing:

Me too. I’ve just finished my second beer and am now off to bed. :smiley:

88

The planner sounds like a right a***hole, good news they’ve gone then :wink:

89

Am sorry to hear that your first day was not a good one but in some ways, it is not a bad thing that it turned out to be a bad one as now it is hopefully onwards and upwards. Also glad to hear the planner has gone…people who behave like that need shafting - it’s bang out of order.

The advice about the maps and sat nav’s is very good as yesterday my sat nav was struggling to pick up a signal and I must admit that I did start to get a bit twitchy.

90

jay0:
cheers for all the advice and I had a much better day today,was moving trailers 15 or 20 miles over and back to the same places all day and I had no problems, everything went very well and I enjoyed it.

Great news Jay that things are on the up and don’t forget to pass your experience on in 20 years time when some new recruit is struggling on their first day :slight_smile:

91

Another quick story for you Jay.

Bear in mind I passed my Class 2 in January 2003…

When my mum died a few years ago in 2009, it was on a Tuesday. I took the rest of the week off and ended up going back in on the following Sunday. The first drop was in Worcester and being a Sunday, the place was empty but all I had to do was swap the dry ice bins over. When I got there, I found that the gates were unlocked but only one was open. I happily went through and did the drop. When I came to leave, I needed to turn right, not to the left as I have come from. I didn’t think and hooked it hard to the right and bang. I took one of the gates off that was only a couple of weeks old and snapped my wander lead for the tail lift. Now when you are loaded for a two day run that’s not a good start!!

My second drop was in Gloucester. I arrived, spoke to the gatehouse, struggled with tail lift, did the drop and left. Ten minutes down the road I realised I’d given them the wrong paperwork. Got that sorted, and off I went into Wales. Everything went ok and I duly parked up for the night and successfully managed to repair the tail lift control.

Next day, I started at a place in Cardiff and moved to the GE Aerospace just up the road. I did the bin swap and then it was an hour or so to Scum Valley foods at Hereford. I got within 20 minutes and stopped to take a break and realised I had not seen the usual containers on the back. After a lot of shifting stuff, I realised I had delivered the wrong bin to GE, so I had to go all the way back and sort that out. To make matters worse, when I was sorting that, I had to try and load a full, half ton dry ice bin onto the tail lift and as it was heavy, I ran it onto the lift. You got it, the bugger didn’t stop and it crushed me between the pump truck and the lorry. It must have gone with a crunch as two blokes came running over to see if I was ok!! Lol

The rest went well, successfully kept my cool at Sun Valley and I even managed to call back in at Worcester to apologise about the gate.

I only worked another week before we finished for Christmas. I didn’t go back in as I had been ill and after being told not to drive for a while, (I passed out a couple of times), the DVLA eventually took my licences away.

I got them back last Thursday, so you see, it goes completely ■■■■ up at times for us all, but it usually comes good in the end. :slight_smile:

92

had an even better day today, really starting to like it now and they’ve given me my own lorry now that im going to do my first night out in tomorrow. its a 1 year old Volvo fh 460 and i couldn’t be happier with it. thanks for all the sound replies and im glad i stuck with it.

93

Main thing with first job
Relax
Keep Calm
Take it slow your learning the job your not going to break records or be the fastest (and if planners hurry you take it with a pinch of salt go at a pace where your comfortable)

94

Remember the baby wipes for your night out and plenty to drink and park where you can get a good internet connection, not like me the other night in the middle of no where :blush: :laughing:

95

jay0:
had an even better day today, really starting to like it now and they’ve given me my own lorry now that im going to do my first night out in tomorrow. its a 1 year old Volvo fh 460 and i couldn’t be happier with it. thanks for all the sound replies and im glad i stuck with it.

good times :sunglasses:

where ya heading :question:

96

jay0:
had an even better day today, really starting to like it now and they’ve given me my own lorry now that im going to do my first night out in tomorrow. its a 1 year old Volvo fh 460 and i couldn’t be happier with it. thanks for all the sound replies and im glad i stuck with it.

Starting out in a one year old truck :open_mouth: whats the world coming to, I reckon your first motor should be the fleet nail and if it’s less than 5 years old you should think yourself lucky. :smiling_imp: :laughing:

Seriously thought it was a bit of bad luck getting stitched up on your first day, but seems to be going the right way now. :wink:

97

jay0:
had an even better day today, really starting to like it now and they’ve given me my own lorry now that im going to do my first night out in tomorrow. its a 1 year old Volvo fh 460 and i couldn’t be happier with it. thanks for all the sound replies and im glad i stuck with it.

Great motor to do your first night out in mine was a Leyland Freighter day cab had to sleep across the seats, brown paper in the windows etc (oh the good old days).

Theres a thread in the FAQ section of this forum for useful things to take, as mentioned wetwipes are pretty much essential though :wink:

Loads of threads on here about night outs but take a duvet, and undersheet, (sleeping bags are a pita) and if you can plan where your going to stop for the night, I tend to use services and truckstops wherever possible.

Oh and check your dog clip in the morning before setting off…

98

I use a carp fishing sleeping bag, they are large and oblong not the mummy shape and have zips both sides loads of room in them, and dont forget your pillow :smiley:

99

Drift:
I use a carp fishing sleeping bag, they are large and oblong not the mummy shape and have zips both sides loads of room in them, and dont forget your pillow :smiley:

“A carp fishing sleeping bag” Why do you have a special sleeping bag to drown worms ?

100

:laughing: I have no idea :laughing:
I was looking for a bag that wasnt the mummy shaped type and saw these, I think the zips are quick opening or something for when you catch a fishy and you dont jump up and fall in as you cant get out the bag…now that would be a good youtube moment :laughing: