Well the call has come in from the agency. After being ready to start work this week I was giving up hope with driver hire so contacted another agency this morning to join up, I was waiting for them to call back but instead driver hire contacted me offering me work!
So I start at 6am tomorrow in Liverpool with a firm called Langdons driving a class 2. I’m chuffed to bits all that hard work to change my career has payed off.
Excited but obviously nervous, will be swatting up on my truckers manual tonight 
Congratulations, just remember to keep an eye out for any width, height, weight or length restrictions including low bridges etc. Also remember to keep an eye on your driving time and most importantly, just relax and enjoy it! 
Cheers lads. Sam luckily my AA truckers atlas arrived today. There’s alot to remember just hope it all goes smoothly
Aye let us know how it goes, this should be interesting…
ps - make sure u wrap up, it’ll most probably be multidrop fridge work with Langdons heheh.
Phew what a day.
I arrived at reception around quarter to 6 and had to wait for my wagon to be loaded with around 12 other drivers. I finally got my keys and my run at 8 and found out I had another driver with me, thank god.
We had 5 drops and one collection.
Derbyshire
Manchester
Salford
Nantwich then back to Liverpool.
We arrived at the truck and it looked like a 7.5 tonne but after checking the plate the axel was 8.5 so it was a very small class 2 and a auto, bonus!
First drop was 1 box of pasties to a small cafe in the country.
2nd drop was a big factory with loading bays so off came 2 pallets with a forklift, this is easy I thought.
3rd drop was china town in Manchester we had to handball off a pallet load but the guys a the restaurant helped us.
4th drop was a takeaway place in the shopping mall, hard to find going up lifts and finding the back door.
5th drop was at an Arabic shop/restaurant 2 pallet loads full to the ceiling had to be handballed into the shop with no help from the staff, a ■■■■■ of a job.
Collection from a farm in Nantwich, my sat nav took us to a low bridge so had to turn around and find another route, got there in the end but took a while.
We arrived back at the depot at 19.30 where I had to fill her back up. 13 1/2 hr shift!
I enjoyed the experience but without that other guy I can’t help thinking I’d be screwed trying to find some of those places, it was handy him nipping out the truck to ask someone where a drop was and guiding me back when reversing. Maybe I should invest in a trucker sat nav to help me more.
I have nothing to compare yesterday to, I enjoyed getting out and about and having a challenge to get to the next place but as I said can’t help thinking I would have found it alot more difficult on my own.
Sounds like you had an interesting day.
Just a thought. You say that your satnav took you to a low bridge and you had to reverse.
I don’t mean to criticise but…
Did you not see the warning signs?
If you invest in a truckers satnav they are not 100% fool proof either.
A Phillips truckers atlas shows bridge heights and weight limits.
Well done on getting it back in one piece and getting all the drops done.
Cheers dar.
Sorry i didnt mean i got to the bridge and then realised, i was on a straight road when seen the signs and had to reverse all the way back.
Ive got a AA atlas which has low bridges on but to be honest we just went off the sat nav.
Could anyone tell me if i took my breaks correctly too…
Waited from 6-8am for truck
8.16am tacho in
8.21am- 11.11am driving
11.11am- 11.24am other work
11.24am- 11.35am driving
11.35am- 12.21pm Break
12.21pm- 12.53pm driving
12.53pm- 1.03pm other work
1.03pm- 1.38pm driving
1.38pm- 2.02pm other work
2.02pm- 2.35pm driving
2.35pm- 3.18pm other work
3.18pm- 5.04pm driving
5.04pm- 5.53pm break
5.53pm- 7.24pm driving
Cheers
Congrats on coming through what sounds like not the easiest first day unscathed. As for the tacho, looks like you had enough breaks in good time. And as for the initial 2 hours waiting, I assume you recorded a manual entry showing other work on the tacho, be it paper or digital? (Just so things are hunky-dory). Next time at least you know how to get to those places, and a right pain they can be to find first time - having a working satnav is crucial IMO, though I wouldn’t fancy it so much without someone to help out.
I bought this sat nav off ebay Item number: 250924468378
I can honestly say it is excellent.
You can add the dimensions of mutiple trucks and save them (including hieght) and it will route you around any problems.
I have been using mine daily now for two months in my 13.6 high rigid on multi drop and it has not yet sent me the wrong way or into a hazzard.
It has full post code search our address down to the house number and with a nice big 7" screen and free sun shroud i find it ideal.
I never usually reccomend ebay buys as i’ve had some crap off there but this i can recommend.
you could look at there feedback and email a few of there customers for there thoughts on if the unit is any good, most people will reply.
Madguy 
Cheers Madguy a few more 13 hr shifts and I might be able to afford it.
