First month class 1

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

No too bad actually.

Few things I would like to highlight.

There is so much waiting in class 1 general haulage, Jesus! My class 2 job was paid salary, but now I feel better being paid hourly.

I used to get a bit stressed with hold ups but now I just chill and it takes what it takes. Surely I don’t want to be doing long days every day but if it does become a long day I know I will have more money for that.

The only issue now it is that the job I am at the moment pays flat rate all the way through. Are there many companies out there that pays overtime rate after 8 hours? I don’t think so.

My biggest fears are:

Losing the trailer.
I still a bit paranoid about losing the bloody trailer, the system I used (black>s) is good but I can’t help going under and seeing the jaws locked up. Don’t feel any shame do I g 5 tugs too [emoji848].

Getting stuck and having to call the police.

What I am finding it is that most places you’re going with an artic are suitable for it and not too far from a motorway.

I used to go to some dodgy places with 18 tonner so that’s why I was a bit worried. But then with the 18 tonner I could back up the whole road if I got stuck as I did before, use someone driveway to turn around. With the artic you can’t take too many chances, but now I am more careful with my routing.

A quick look at the map, Google satellite view is brilliant to see what is the best approach and off entrances and my tom tom trucker has been very reliable. If it looks dodgy I would call the customer but I didn’t need yet.

Had a delivery around Dartford the other day and I got there 1 hour earlier, gate moody man didn’t let me wait on site so I had to go and find somewhere to park, ■■■■■■ up and got myself in a tiny country lane and felt so relieve when I finally saw signs of life again.

I tell the fork lift and other drives I just passed my test and I am struggling with the reverse and everyone been helpful. Today ichardly managed to park in a waiting bay, could not get 100% straight, local driver comes to park next to me and u could see his face annoyed because I wasn’t straight making his job a bit harder, so when he gets lines up with my windows I say, “oh mate, can’t wait til I can do it easily as you just did. I just passed got started and I couldn’t get his thing straight” So he became another person, calmed down and started giving me tips ( gotta use the newbie card while I can [emoji4])

Well that’s it. Every day is a new lesson.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

2

One lesson you’ve learned is that being paid by the hour is a lot less hassle than salaried even better when you’re a tramper as well

3

Bino10:
“oh mate, can’t wait til I can do it easily as you just did. I just passed got started and I couldn’t get his thing straight” So he became another person, calmed down and started giving me tips ( gotta use the newbie card while I can [emoji4])

Absolutely hilarious. Strange what the ‘n’ word does to people :wink:

4

Don’t sweat the reverse mate, it takes time and we all have been there. You won’t worry over getting stuck or reversing with time. Not many places to get stuck what you can’t get out of.

5

Bino10:
No too bad actually.

Few things I would like to highlight.

There is so much waiting in class 1 general haulage, Jesus! My class 2 job was paid salary, but now I feel better being paid hourly.

I used to get a bit stressed with hold ups but now I just chill and it takes what it takes. Surely I don’t want to be doing long days every day but if it does become a long day I know I will have more money for that.

The only issue now it is that the job I am at the moment pays flat rate all the way through. Are there many companies out there that pays overtime rate after 8 hours? I don’t think so.

My biggest fears are:

Losing the trailer.
I still a bit paranoid about losing the bloody trailer, the system I used (black>s) is good but I can’t help going under and seeing the jaws locked up. Don’t feel any shame do I g 5 tugs too [emoji848].

Getting stuck and having to call the police.

What I am finding it is that most places you’re going with an artic are suitable for it and not too far from a motorway.

I used to go to some dodgy places with 18 tonner so that’s why I was a bit worried. But then with the 18 tonner I could back up the whole road if I got stuck as I did before, use someone driveway to turn around. With the artic you can’t take too many chances, but now I am more careful with my routing.

A quick look at the map, Google satellite view is brilliant to see what is the best approach and off entrances and my tom tom trucker has been very reliable. If it looks dodgy I would call the customer but I didn’t need yet.

Had a delivery around Dartford the other day and I got there 1 hour earlier, gate moody man didn’t let me wait on site so I had to go and find somewhere to park, [zb] up and got myself in a tiny country lane and felt so relieve when I finally saw signs of life again.

I tell the fork lift and other drives I just passed my test and I am struggling with the reverse and everyone been helpful. Today ichardly managed to park in a waiting bay, could not get 100% straight, local driver comes to park next to me and u could see his face annoyed because I wasn’t straight making his job a bit harder, so when he gets lines up with my windows I say, “oh mate, can’t wait til I can do it easily as you just did. I just passed got started and I couldn’t get his thing straight” So he became another person, calmed down and started giving me tips ( gotta use the newbie card while I can [emoji4])

Well that’s it. Every day is a new lesson.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

You’ll do alright mate I reckon, you have the right approach. :sunglasses:
The longer you wait to tip or load, the more you get paid for doing jack ■■■■, take a book with you or dvd for the mega waits.
Most fall into the teararse trap no time for a ■■■■, and got to keep going to 14 hours 59 mins. :unamused: you sound like you’ve more sense…so well done for that.

Not many pay time and a half after 40 mate, they used to when I started but with a combination of drivers being thick enough to vote for Xmas like turkeys, and no Union power, we are all shafted now on a daily basis…so do what I do, make it as good and as easy for yourself as poss, and leave the rushing around to the inevitable heart attack posse.

You will not lose your trailer if you are doing all you say you are…trust me.

Use your Class 3 experience for knowing where and where not to go, if in doubt ask, or ring the destination ahead on route. I do a lot of very remote farms, and by doing that I’ve been ok…so far. :smiley:
Don’t totally rely on ■■■■ sat navs btw. :imp:

You’ll find that proper drivers (there are still a few left) will always help you.
Keep at it the way you are bud…and good luck.

6

Bino10:
No too bad actually.

Few things I would like to highlight.

There is so much waiting in class 1 general haulage, Jesus! My class 2 job was paid salary, but now I feel better being paid hourly.

I used to get a bit stressed with hold ups but now I just chill and it takes what it takes. Surely I don’t want to be doing long days every day but if it does become a long day I know I will have more money for that.

The only issue now it is that the job I am at the moment pays flat rate all the way through. Are there many companies out there that pays overtime rate after 8 hours? I don’t think so.

My biggest fears are:

Losing the trailer.
I still a bit paranoid about losing the bloody trailer, the system I used (black>s) is good but I can’t help going under and seeing the jaws locked up. Don’t feel any shame do I g 5 tugs too [emoji848].

Getting stuck and having to call the police.

What I am finding it is that most places you’re going with an artic are suitable for it and not too far from a motorway.

I used to go to some dodgy places with 18 tonner so that’s why I was a bit worried. But then with the 18 tonner I could back up the whole road if I got stuck as I did before, use someone driveway to turn around. With the artic you can’t take too many chances, but now I am more careful with my routing.

A quick look at the map, Google satellite view is brilliant to see what is the best approach and off entrances and my tom tom trucker has been very reliable. If it looks dodgy I would call the customer but I didn’t need yet.

Had a delivery around Dartford the other day and I got there 1 hour earlier, gate moody man didn’t let me wait on site so I had to go and find somewhere to park, [zb] up and got myself in a tiny country lane and felt so relieve when I finally saw signs of life again.

I tell the fork lift and other drives I just passed my test and I am struggling with the reverse and everyone been helpful. Today ichardly managed to park in a waiting bay, could not get 100% straight, local driver comes to park next to me and u could see his face annoyed because I wasn’t straight making his job a bit harder, so when he gets lines up with my windows I say, “oh mate, can’t wait til I can do it easily as you just did. I just passed got started and I couldn’t get his thing straight” So he became another person, calmed down and started giving me tips ( gotta use the newbie card while I can [emoji4])

Well that’s it. Every day is a new lesson.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Sounds like you’ll have no problem at all. Best piece of advice I ever heard was “professional drivers don’t rush; they move like sloths”. I’ve never been a van driver (as a job) or on high-rate multi-drop, but you can often tell guys that have because they work like blue-arsed flies, and it’s not long before something ends up on the floor that shouldn’t be - whether it be the trailer itself, or its roof, the product, or they fall out the cab or off the catwalk.

Paranoia is good - check, and check again. Coupling and uncoupling, do it by the numbers, and then check it by the numbers - 7 things when you’ve coupled, and 5 things when you’re uncoupling. Plan, review, and write down your route before you set off, unless you already know it completely. Take your time manoeuvring, and ask for advice or help if necessary. And if you’re being hurried or mithered, don’t get ■■■■■ but beg people’s indulgence. This is just a paraphrase of what you’ve already said yourself.

7

Good luck mate, you’re showing the right attitude, as has been mentioned. I’m sure many on here have read exactly what they went through when they started.
Agree with the checking thing, always worth checking again. Don’t sweat the reversing, you’ll get the hang of it eventually, the only drivers I know who brag about reversing are the trunkers who go to the same depots and the same bays and then wonder what the problem is. When I first started I made it very clear to anyone who needed to know that I had just passed, got plenty of help ( although they were probably more terrified I would take their kit with me!! ) any decent driver will help.

8

Bino10:
[zb] up and got myself in a tiny country lane and felt so relieve when I finally saw signs of life again.

Ooooooh ive been there my friend.
Got lost in a diversion trying to find Dumfries and thought “Ah, this road will take me back to the village”.
200 yards in I realised id majorly cocked up as the road narrowed to about 2 inches wider than the wagon. Another 100 yards and I came across a near 90 corner. I almost started crying.
Went for it and luckily got round but I was touching cloth and to say I breathed a sigh of relief as I rounded another corner to see the main road is a major understatement!

9

The-Snowman:

Bino10:
[zb] up and got myself in a tiny country lane and felt so relieve when I finally saw signs of life again.

Ooooooh ive been there my friend.
Got lost in a diversion trying to find Dumfries and thought “Ah, this road will take me back to the village”.
200 yards in I realised id majorly cocked up as the road narrowed to about 2 inches wider than the wagon. Another 100 yards and I came across a near 90 corner. I almost started crying.
Went for it and luckily got round but I was touching cloth and to say I breathed a sigh of relief as I rounded another corner to see the main road is a major understatement!

Had similar myself today delivering to a garden centre. Something doesn’t sit right taking a HGV down a road that says three tonne weight limit (the only way in and out) but it all worked out in the end. Not after i popped sone chocolate buttons on the seat. And swore. Lots lol

10

Doing the right thing fella.

On one of my assessments after coupling and doing the necessary I release the trailer brake and the thing starts rolling.

It was the assessors trick where he had released the hand brake unknowing to me when I left the truck.

The lesson was when you release the trailer brake wait in that position for a few seconds in case you did actually forget to put the hand brake on. The trailer will roll so you are in the ideal position to put the trailer brake back on and go and put the hand brake on.

A bit of a cheeky move by the assessor but I think a great lesson, what I also do now is make sure a second time the hand brake is still on and of course the necessary wait when I release the trailer brake.

11

Bino10:
No too bad actually.

Few things I would like to highlight.

There is so much waiting in class 1 general haulage, Jesus! My class 2 job was paid salary, but now I feel better being paid hourly.

I used to get a bit stressed with hold ups but now I just chill and it takes what it takes. Surely I don’t want to be doing long days every day but if it does become a long day I know I will have more money for that.

The only issue now it is that the job I am at the moment pays flat rate all the way through. Are there many companies out there that pays overtime rate after 8 hours? I don’t think so.

My biggest fears are:

Losing the trailer.
I still a bit paranoid about losing the bloody trailer, the system I used (black>s) is good but I can’t help going under and seeing the jaws locked up. Don’t feel any shame do I g 5 tugs too [emoji848].

Getting stuck and having to call the police.

What I am finding it is that most places you’re going with an artic are suitable for it and not too far from a motorway.

I used to go to some dodgy places with 18 tonner so that’s why I was a bit worried. But then with the 18 tonner I could back up the whole road if I got stuck as I did before, use someone driveway to turn around. With the artic you can’t take too many chances, but now I am more careful with my routing.

A quick look at the map, Google satellite view is brilliant to see what is the best approach and off entrances and my tom tom trucker has been very reliable. If it looks dodgy I would call the customer but I didn’t need yet.

Had a delivery around Dartford the other day and I got there 1 hour earlier, gate moody man didn’t let me wait on site so I had to go and find somewhere to park, [zb] up and got myself in a tiny country lane and felt so relieve when I finally saw signs of life again.

I tell the fork lift and other drives I just passed my test and I am struggling with the reverse and everyone been helpful. Today ichardly managed to park in a waiting bay, could not get 100% straight, local driver comes to park next to me and u could see his face annoyed because I wasn’t straight making his job a bit harder, so when he gets lines up with my windows I say, “oh mate, can’t wait til I can do it easily as you just did. I just passed got started and I couldn’t get his thing straight” So he became another person, calmed down and started giving me tips ( gotta use the newbie card while I can [emoji4])

Well that’s it. Every day is a new lesson.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

The reversing will come with time. Don’t be afraid to go all the way back out and then back in if you’d need to get straight. Don’t think because your kind of in but on an angle you then have to leave it as it is.

Your not going to lose your trailer as long as you follow the procedure and don’t take short cuts. If you get distracted then check everything again from the start. Sometimes on a Monday morning someone has put my unit under a trailer but not actually coupled it all. If that’s the case then I pull the pin and drive out (checking the legs are down first!) then back under to make sure I’m in properly. If I was to lose a trailer then my boss wouldn’t accept “yeah but I didn’t put it under the trailer so I assumed it was in properly”.

Your aren’t going to get stuck as long as you use common sense. Don’t blindly follow your sat nav, not all the data in it is correct. Check all your routes with a map. Yesterday mine told me to turn down an unsuitable for HGVs road, when all I had to do instead was go half a mile to the next roundabout and turn left there instead. A bit of common sense and your won’t go far wrong. And if you do get to somewhere and you think you’ve no where else to go, phone and check before you turn down a road that you might not get out of.

12

boltonboy:
Doing the right thing fella.

On one of my assessments after coupling and doing the necessary I release the trailer brake and the thing starts rolling.

It was the assessors trick where he had released the hand brake unknowing to me when I left the truck.

The lesson was when you release the trailer brake wait in that position for a few seconds in case you did actually forget to put the hand brake on. The trailer will roll so you are in the ideal position to put the trailer brake back on and go and put the hand brake on.

A bit of a cheeky move by the assessor but I think a great lesson, what I also do now is make sure a second time the hand brake is still on and of course the necessary wait when I release the trailer brake.

Yeah I do that wait a few secs to make sure the handbrake is on, yep saved my bacon once.

13

Measure twice - cut once is a good policy. Never be afraid to get out and check: when reversing, to be sure that you won’t hit that unit on the blind side (more than once if needed); when you collect a “ready to go” outfit, that there is no gap between the fifth wheel and the trailer; when you come back to the truck, that no scrote had pulled the lever.

When you pick up a loaded trailer, at least look in the back doors to see that it is strapped and that it is the load you are expecting. Many a driver had arrived at his first drop with an empty trailer, or a loaded one when it should be empty.

14

A little tip for the handbrake - when you connect the yellow airline check for pressure. If it goes on without a hiss, go check the handbrake (dont just assume!). No handbrake = no pressure. This has saved me a couple of times.

Also connect the red line last as the above will catch most runaways before you connect red which is where it gets dangerous.

Regarding waiting a few seconds after connecting red, remember if the trailer has been sitting around for days it could take several minutes to unlock the trailer brakes.

Oh and if it does run, don’t try to jump in the cab…your life is worth more than a truck!

15

trevHCS:
A little tip for the handbrake - when you connect the yellow airline check for pressure. If it goes on without a hiss, go check the handbrake (dont just assume!). No handbrake = no pressure. This has saved me a couple of times.

I had one of them new Scania on demo a couple of weeks ago. It confused me when coupling as there is no pressure when connecting the yellow line. The first time I checked the handbrake but no, that’s the way it is for some reason.

16

trevHCS:
A little tip for the handbrake - when you connect the yellow airline check for pressure. If it goes on without a hiss, go check the handbrake (dont just assume!). No handbrake = no pressure. This has saved me a couple of times.

None of our Volvos have pressure in the yellow line either, no idea why they are different. Only remember it’s unusual when we get hire motors in.

17

A quick root around on this forum will give you all the examples of short cuts you will ever need to learn from mate.

Dropped trailers (usually through rushing), destroyed foot bridges (I will just leave my HIAB up, it will save me 5 mins :unamused: ), bridge strikes galore (couldn’t be arsed/too stupid to check/know the trailer height), jumping off trailers (couldn’t be arsed to use the rear ladder), roll away’s (again through rushing), the list goes on and on.

So if you want to do a couple of extra tug tests, crack on. Not sure how far to reverse? Get out and have a look. Blindside reverse? Get out and have a look.

You can be a professional and competent driver who doesn’t/rarely causes damage, or you can be a hero. Hero’s are usually the ones who end up scrolling through music and killing families, or strike bridges causing motorcyclists to have broken ribs, or shut the M6 for 8 hours because truck drivers like tailgating each other, or you could simply park your wagon in a live lane at night with no lights on if you prefer.

You are doing everything right by making sure of what you do. Many tipper/skip drivers rush around like ■■■’s because they are on a load bonus. Equally, salaried job & knock artic drivers rush around like ■■■■ too, because they don’t want their hourly rate to work out at £7.50 per hour. As for ’ real ’ drivers, Robroy is on the money. Any decent driver will help you out, they have been there too and we all appreciate an extra pair of eyes in this game.

18

Santa:
Many a driver had arrived at his first drop with an empty trailer

Not quite empty.
It did have the pallet truck in the back… :blush:

19

I was taught ‘BLACK’ also, but what is the ‘S’ you mention?

20

The-Snowman:

Santa:
Many a driver had arrived at his first drop with an empty trailer

Not quite empty.
It did have the pallet truck in the back… :blush:

Mine wasn’t empty either - it was full of empty stillages.