Hi all,
I passed my class 1 10 years ago but at the time of passing my test I couldn’t get a job on class 1 due to no experience but drove class 2 for 3 years.
I am a builder but because work has gone downhill I thought maybe get back in to driving,so after looking for work I came accross an agency that took on unexperience drivers & new passes but I’m sure the firms that you work for don’t no this.
First day went well,most of the driving was on motorways & the depots were a stones throw from the motorway & consideing the last time I drove an artic was on my test day my reverseing went fairly well.
Second day not so good but not bad,missed the turning ,I had to go down a bus garage entrance & thought that can’t be it but it was !, had to turn round in a busy high street (Sweaty palms big time) but went well, then took 20 mins to reverse it on to bay.
Third day went like a dream,reverseing went really well,found the the place easy.
Fourth day not so good,First drop went really well found the place easy, reverseing went really well,second drop NIGHTMARE,took a wrong turn & was heading for a low bridge & there was not anywhere to turn round & had to reverse about 600 metres + ,lucky enough there was a man who kindly helped me back while traffic was coming down the road.I was really glad to get home after this ordeal.
The following day I thought what can go wrong today, but thought to myself sod it if I can get out of the previous nights/mornings pickle I can get out of anything.
Fifth day,took the wrong exit off a roundabout & turning round skills had to come in to action again ,finally got there & was told "its a bit tight in there tonight 
but done it like a dream 
, took another wrong turn on the way back due to no lights on the signs but got out off that ok. On the drive back to the depot I started to feel a bit sick, got back & was sick outside the transport office after making a mockery of reverseing it on to a bay, lucky enough the shunter said “do you want me to back it on there for you” thank god for that I thought !!!
Let see what next week has in store for me 
Sounds like a real baptism of fire, well done and good luck for next week.
Welcome to TruckNet UK mightymart and it sounds
to me you did very well to say you haven’t driven a artic
in years. Also all the best for next week and the future
and please keep us posted of your work diary’s .
Crikey, I’ve just done my first week of proper employed class 2 (apart from agency) and it was a piece of cake compared to that.
Hope it gets easier. 
Mart - it’s a learning curve and a half when you first start, we’ve all been through it at one time or another . It may not seem like it, but the more you get out and about, the easier it will become - believe me. Sounds like you’r enjoying yourself though.
Nice to hear someone else struggled with it as well 
.
One thing to bear in mind. We all have bad days occsionally as well
Welcome To TruckNetUk.
Don’t be a stranger.
Cheers
Ian
Hiya mart and welcome to trucknet…as they say things can only get better, well done for sticking with it and let us know how next week goes
mightymart:
I had to go down a bus garage entrance & thought that can’t be it but it was !, had to turn round in a busy high street (Sweaty palms big time) but went well, then took 20 mins to reverse it on to bay.
Sounds like a certain Somerfields I have delivered to before (in the middle of nowhere) 
By the way, Welcome to TN!!
welcome to t/net mart thing’s will get easier good luck for next week
mightymart:
Hi all,I am a builder but because work has gone downhill quote]
no offence but you are having a laugh where do you live in leeds builders are earning a fortune… no really an absolute fortune
my friend is a joiner hes on £800 PER WEEK ON PRICE
my other mate is a plumber and he laughs when i say about my mate the joiner on £800 he just says “is that all”
and my dad has just had some plastering done the plasterer was there 4 hours … £245.
please dont take this the wrong way but in leeds its booming.
Mightymart 10/10 for sticking with it. If you can cope with that lot without jacking it in you can cope with the rest no probs.
top read, welcome to trucknet . keep those stories comin in
Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies and glad you liked it! I am laughing about it at the moment but I might not be laughing next week.
Next week I am going to make sure that my journeys are well planned and double checked before I leave because driving class 1 is totally different to driving class 2.
As for me building, the trade I am in has been over run by foreign labour, thus driving the prices down. I used to earn £150 a day on average but now you are looking at £100 per day! Bearing in mine that there is no holiday pay , sick pay or other bonuses.
I will let you all know the outcome of next week and hopefully it will all go well.
mightymart,
i did exactly the same thing as you after twenty two years of being self employed in the building game although i did chose to be an owner driver, i won’t ever go back to building work and as i’m sure you are, was glad to see the back of it, driving in comparison is an absolute dodle.
think the one thing you learn quickly with the driving is don’t take wrong turns, far better to pull up and check where you want to be rather rush in and corse yourself a load of grief.
good luck.
hello mightymart glad you didnt take my answer the wrong way. driving artics is easy enough just remember if you go past your turning its proberly going to be another 3 miles before you can turn round.