I passed my CAT. C in January and today I finally had my first paid work as a driver 
I’m working for the Co-op and today they sent me out with an experienced guy to show me the ropes. On the whole, it all went well. The truck was a DAF with a 6-speed gearbox and in no time at all it came flooding back to me. The biggest problem I had was reversing into the bays to get loaded - I’d have thought twice reversing a car into that gap!! Even with the other guy’s help it was difficult and I had to take a few runs at it to get it right. I felt a right idiot. I’m out again tomorrow but I’m by myself. I’m not bothered about getting to the stores but I am a bit worried about getting into the bays to get loaded and getting in to some of the stores as they can be tight too. Good practise I suppose but the test was no real preparation for the maneuvering you have to do as a driver.
We’ve all felt a right idiot, I still do sometimes. Thing to remember is-
take your time 2,3,4,5 or more shunts is a lot cheaper than ONE shunt straight into a Brand new Scania sitting on the bay next to you. If it looks too tight get out & have a look, then think about how you are going to tackle this reverse, from the left or from the right or even as straight as possible. Lots of reversing is different in different locations, that’s what makes us Drivers, not just steering wheel attendants pointing it straight up a motorway.
After a few awkward bays it will click into place & you will be wondering why you worried about it in the first place. 
If in doubt, turn left.
Take it slow is all I can say
That’s why we tell you… The real learning starts now .
If unsure GOAL … Get Out And Look.
It doesn’t matter if you are holding someone up.
It will come with time and practice.
If there are any decent drivers around, hopefully one of them might help you back.
Best of luck out on the road tomorrow.
And well done for getting a start.
Thanks for the support and I will take your advice. After lunch today I was trying to get the truck out of its parking place and there was very little room so I nearly took the mirrors off the truck next to me. Fortunately, I noticed in time and reversed a bit to take another go at it. Surprisingly, the guys in that particular truck just sat there and watched me. Thankfully a different driver did come over and help to guide me out. I think tomorrow I’ll just go slow and if I have to get out 20 times to check where I’m going, that’s exactly what I’ll do.
First chance I’ve had to post since that first day. Well, the next day I went in quite nervous about the tight spaces I’d need to get into but everything went well. I reversed into the loading bay perfectly first time and managed to make all of the deliveries with relatively little drama. When I arrived at the stores I wasn’t sure where to go and I was wary of driving into a busy car park on a Saturday in case I couldn’t get out again. Of course, that meant that I had to make a couple of difficult turns in the street but I managed to get it done and thankfully didn’t hit anything. I absolutely loved it and wish I’d done this years ago. Unfortunately, with the experience I have there’s no immediate possibility of me giving up teaching to drive full time as I’d never earn enough money but clearly there are SOME well paid driving jobs out there so instead, as well as getting my Class 1 in the summer, I want to do my best to get whatever experience I need over the next few years to make that move more viable. If anybody has any ideas on how to go about this, I’m all ears
Slartibartfarst42:
Thanks for the support and I will take your advice. After lunch today I was trying to get the truck out of its parking place and there was very little room so I nearly took the mirrors off the truck next to me. Fortunately, I noticed in time and reversed a bit to take another go at it. Surprisingly, the guys in that particular truck just sat there and watched me. Thankfully a different driver did come over and help to guide me out. I think tomorrow I’ll just go slow and if I have to get out 20 times to check where I’m going, that’s exactly what I’ll do.
Yep. You do get to meet some wonderful specimens of humanity, it’s one of those perks that nobody told you about!
It sounds like you have it sussed. Just take it easy. It’s not a race (no matter what the planners / TMs think).
Taking your CE will definitely increase your employability but don’t expect a huge increase in pay. Unfortunately we are only seen as a commodity, not a skilled worker (as far as pay structure goes).
Keep at your teaching job and get out there where you can with whatever you can get. It all helps to show experience.
Weekends & holidays for agencies.
Sounds like you are putting pressure on yourself to get it perfect each time, dont sweat it , rather take a few shunts to get it right than as prev people have said have a very expensive first time in 
I did the same myself and pressure causes mistakes ie wrong angle etc , so now I take my time and if it dont go in pull out and start again ,
I even been known to take a bow after taking a fair few shunts , just for a laugh and most drivers have then come up offered advice and then told me various stories of nightmare reverses they have had , we all had to start somewhere and most drivers have been through it themselves and will either help you out or sympathize the few that dont arnt worth you worrying about ,
You had a better day the next day so have already started to get used to things
best of luck your doing great
a lad in his mid-50’s has just been put thru’ his Class 1 at our place,and is a nervous wreck worrying about reversing.i’ve told him to take his time,and if in doubt,as has previously been said-get out and look! and don’t worry if you don’t get it spot on 1st shunt,it will come with practice.
I’ve mentioned this previously but a long time ago. When I learned Class 1, my trainer was a colleague as I was already a PCV instructor. Consequently, too much time spent at buttie bar that should have been spent going backwards! My reversing was so bad I nearly bottled my test as I’d never actually completed the exercise start to finish without the trailer coming round to say hello or me doing serious oooo nasties to a cone or two!
Having passed the test straight away (there is a God!) I spent the next two years wondering where the trailer would end up. But something, somewhere clicked and it started getting a lot more reliable.
That was forty years ago. I can still get it wrong (dar 1976 will vouch for that!) but it really is very unusual.
So my advice is to quietly persevere; don’t be rushed and remember it’s the wally who doesn’t get out to check if he can’t see. Remember that everyone stood about watching you either cant do it at all or will, occasionally, still get it wrong.
All the best, Pete 
Peter Smythe:
That was forty years ago. I can still get it wrong (dar 1976 will vouch for that!) but it really is very unusual.
I’d hate to be the one to remind you
Peter Smythe wrote:
That was forty years ago. I can still get it wrong (dar 1976 will vouch for that!) but it really is very unusual.I’d hate to be the one to remind you
What a gent!!
its well documented on here that reversing a trailer was (note I said was!) my nemesis, Peter , another mbr on here bloodoodle have all given me help , advice etc , and what made it come around (pardon the pun) was I realised that I was rushing it , wanting to get it in as quick as poss , overturning the steering wheel so then having to overcorrect to get it back ,
Now I dont even use my accelerator when going backwards , tiny adjustments to the steering wheel actually make a big difference to the back end of the trailer and suddenly as Peter said it just clicks , you dont seem to to be thinking about what way to turn the wheel , u just do it !!
i still GOAL to make sure that is is actually going where I want it normally I dont trust my own judgement on the blind side but when I GOAL normally have loads of room it still surprises me when I actually see the big gap lol , as in my mirror Im sure Im gonna hit whats behind me , an if its a bit close for comfort I pull forward and start again , an I dont care whos watching !!! or how many times I pull away and try again , coz I dont want to be the one that takes the paint off the truck next to me ,
Take all the time you need , who cares what anyone else is saying , next time it`ll be you watching them take a load of shunts , as everyone has them nightmare reverses honest
Jennie:
…as everyone has them nightmare reverses honest
So true. And usually when there’s 4 clear bays either side
dar1976:
Jennie:
…as everyone has them nightmare reverses honestSo true. And usually when there’s 4 clear bays either side
Yea ! Why do RDC’s do that ?
50 bays along the warehouse, 2 wagons on bay 7 & 9 with trailers parked in front & 6" either side to reverse into, all the other bays are empty & they always put you on Bay 8. LOL
(then make you sit or stand in their Cesspit that they call a Drivers Rest Room)
Hiya Slartibartfarst42!
I’d just like to add that I also get those times when it takes many attempts to get onto a bay…usually at a store where the backdoor guys are standing inside watching your every move! 
Like others say, the trick is to not rush it and if you’re in any doubt about something, get out and look. That’s what I do, but again, like others say, it does get a lot easier with time and plenty of experience.
I wonder how you are getting on now?