Hi guys.
My first post on here so bare with me 
I have recently passed my class 2 and whilst browsing for jobs i see that nearly all required previous experiance or to be over 25 ( im 23 ) etc. Just wondered how some of you new guys found it when applying. Also did you find agencys were more accomodating in respect of your lack of experiance 
Many thanks in advance for any response
Ben
I past my class 2 test 4months ago and fancied doing some tipper work but was faced with the same problem… So I got hold of a few number’s of some franchisees at the quarry I wanted to work from and the first bloke I rang said he would help me out all I asked was I wanted to get some experience and wouldn’t mind jumping in and learning the ropes and said I would do it for free
So did 3 runs with the owner sat next to me showing me the ropes. The week after he asked me If I wanted to go out on my own and said he would pay me for it. So here I am on now waiting for my 4 run 
So off the back of that i have regular weekend work result! 
Sounds sweet to me.
Do you have to have an epic card to do tipper work or is it just quarries? Wish there were more people like that, willing to give newcomers a chance. Im more than happy to do a days work for free (so long as another employee doesnt loose money ) if i ment someone giving me that chance.
Thanks for the reply, gives me a few more ideas. Hope your job goes well and you get a few more phone call you way mate
How foolsish working for free?
regardless of if you are new and need a chance you are worth more than FREE.
discoman:
How foolsish working for free?regardless of if you are new and need a chance you are worth more than FREE.
Normally i’d agree, but in this case its turned out quite well and if nothing else the guy has got a bit of driving experience from it.
It helps to know the right people, thats how i got my job. But believe or not some TM’s want to take on new drivers,
discoman:
How foolsish working for free?regardless of if you are new and need a chance you are worth more than FREE.
If he was driving one wagon with the other guy driving another in front, behind or whatever then he’d be working. Sitting their driving the bloke around is hardly working, why should he pay someone to do his job for him at the risk of buggering up his motor through inexperience.
I went down this route when I started out, was due to go out with a guy on some Saturday mornings with an aim of gettingsome part time work. It never happened in the end as their was always some reason it got cancelled.
As for finding work then don’t think the work will find you, your best bet is to go out and knock on doors and talk to people, make a good impression and see where that gets you. Think smaller companies rather than big ones with HR departments and agencies on speed dial.
bigfoot:
Sounds sweet to me.Do you have to have an epic card to do tipper work or is it just quarries? Wish there were more people like that, willing to give newcomers a chance. Im more than happy to do a days work for free (so long as another employee doesnt loose money ) if i ment someone giving me that chance.
Thanks for the reply, gives me a few more ideas. Hope your job goes well and you get a few more phone call you way mate
Yes mate not all quarry’s but most require an epic card I paid for mine out my own pocket but that showed I was willing
Despite what that other chap said it’s well worth trying they don’t have to give you a chance but he did and only did 3 Saturday mornings doing what I’ve always wanted to do and it worked out sweet as he now offers me work which great might 2 months ago I was asking for experience not I’m earning money from it
Sitting there driving some bloke around??
You have lost the plot … the bloke is sitting there getting paid to not drive his motor as some mug wants to get some work … Idiot sorry but he is I would never work for free. it counts towards driving hours therefore it is work!
As for getting work exactly get off your behind and go find it but dont do it for free. MUG!!
I came on here under the impression that you could talk to some helpful people on here ( of which there are ) as apposed to being abused by some half wit 
IMO working for nothing is not to be encorouged but there are circumstances where the sprat to catch a mackrel is a sensible move.
It’s up to everyone to make their own decision on this.
I would be really upset if someone worked for nothing and left the regular driver without work for the day.
I hope you continue to find more help and advice than abuse on the forum and wish you the very best of luck. Pete
Jesus Christ! The guy I did it for owns 5 wagons I did 3 Saturday mornings 3 hours the first time 4.5 the next on the next 2 runs on all 3 occasions I was home befor 11am. The 1st 2 runs I did he loaded and tipped all I did was drive it there.3rd time I loaded and tipped. Not once on the same wagon the reason for that is because I did the Saturday’s when the drivers couldn’t work because of there drivers hours they do one Saturday on the one off ect ect. So for 11hrs of my own time which I said I wanted to do for free just for the EXPERIANCE as its somthing i’ve allways wanted to do it since my old man used to do it has landed me regular well paying weekend work I’m a during mechanic during the week so this is a bonus.
I would have been a bigger mug if had had rung him up and said “hello mate I’ve just past my class 2 test and want to drive a tipper at the weekends I have naff all experience would you give me a try? All so I ain’t doing it for free”…
TheFan46:
I past my class 2 test 4months ago and fancied doing some tipper work but was faced with the same problem… So I got hold of a few number’s of some franchisees at the quarry I wanted to work from and the first bloke I rang said he would help me out all I asked was I wanted to get some experience and wouldn’t mind jumping in and learning the ropes and said I would do it for free
So did 3 runs with the owner sat next to me showing me the ropes. The week after he asked me If I wanted to go out on my own and said he would pay me for it. So here I am on now waiting for my 4 run
Glad you found some work mate, weekend work is a good thing to start out on.
discoman:
Sitting there driving some bloke around??You have lost the plot … the bloke is sitting there getting paid to not drive his motor as some mug wants to get some work … Idiot sorry but he is I would never work for free. it counts towards driving hours therefore it is work!
As for getting work exactly get off your behind and go find it but dont do it for free. MUG!!
Nothing wrong with working for free so long as they don’t take the ■■■■ doing it! I did some pictures for a couple haulage companies, and I gave them for free (Well for 2 of them! 1 of them gave them back after they said they wouldn’t pay for them 
Yet they couldn’t just phone me to tell me that) Now thankfully I used my college printing account for the paper & ink but if it was my own it would have cost me a lot 
And it was okay with my college as I did ask before doing so 
Thanks to my ‘free’ work I’ve had a trip down to purfleet, and I’m in line for some weekend work not to mention I’ve been invited down to another company after I get my results for my photography course at college!!! As for the company that ■■■■■■ me around out of my time, and hard graft. I will only be using them to get pictures if I REALLY need to. Working for free does have it’s advantages sometimes, but I know when to draw the line when someone is taking the ■■■■.
Cheers
Jonny 
With the whole no experience no job thing its not a bad way to get on the ladder, i personally wouldn’t do it for a large company but a small family owned affair it could be beneficial, if you can prove to them your a grafter and geniunly interested and bothered about the work they could well give you a shot on the books. Theres plenty of drivers out there looking for work but not all of them are any good and you can bet your ■■■■■■■■ that a young lad/lass will work and try a dam site harder as they know that if they got the sack how hard it will be starting from scratch again.
@ the OP, Fair play to you for trying to get for yourself on the ladder, you’ve done what many would look down upon and the fruits of your labour will hold you in good stead.
Thanks for your constructive replys.
Yea i definatly wouldnt let some one take the ■■■■ out of me and i know there are definatly some that would try given the chance. Im a keen individual and just want the chance to prove it. Im also more than happy to go knocking on doors making sure i have a smart appearance, and talk face to face to a company too.
still, all drivers had to start somewhere ay. Many thanks
I wish you luck in the job search and congrats on the recent pass, be sure to let us know when you find a job. Even if there are jobs that ask for experience you should still apply for them, just in case as there is always that chance. You thought about going for you’re C+E License assuming you can afford it?? As I’ve noticed through reading other peoples threads that those with their C+E Licenses usually end up getting more Class 2 work.
But if you ever feel like a company is taking the ■■■■ out of you, turn the opposite direction!! As haulage companies are good for getting their pound of flesh and ■■■■■■■ on you if given the chance. I know this through personal experience with my photography work alone with being asked to get pictures from the TM, taking time out of my schedule from my college work to get the pictures they wanted, wasting my time and my colleges paper & Ink (It was agreed with college to let me print the pictures) Needless to say the woman from the marketing department wasn’t very helpful, taking 3 weeks to get back to me bare in mind this was when I got sick of waiting for a phone call and took a walk down to ask what the hell was going on. I got my pictures back anyway! I have learnt from this experience, and i refuse to do any photography work for any company unless they get it in writing that’s what they are wanting and can agree on a set price. At least with the company up the road they’ve asked me back when I get my results from college this year and my work is up on the walls for everyone to enjoy. I know this has nothing to do with driving trucks, but the morals are still the same. If you think a company is taking the ■■■■, walk away because it won’t be the only chance even if you think it is. If you offer to work for free make sure it’s only for a set time, I’d say a week is the most you should do if you do go down that route but I would only do this as a last resort. Make sure you get an application form/CV into every haulage company you know that runs Class 2 vehicles, including the big players e.g Dentressangle, DHL, Royal mail etc making sure you go round all the haulage companies with your gear in the boot of the car just incase you get asked to go out straight away as you never know . &&& Same with agencies, make sure you call every week asking as they will see you are keen and not just signing on with them for the sake of it and when they do offer work make sure you don’t turn it down as if you can take the work on they will see you as reliable etc.
I don’t know for certain but I’m going on both what other people have said and my own personal experience with haulage companies 
Good luck!!
Cheers
Jonny
Cheers Jonny
I do plan to do my class 1 also, very soon ( once saved up ) as i know companies like this due to the fact that you are more flexible in terms of the work they have on and veichles req to be driven that day.
Also saving to do HIAB trianing and forklift. Would rather have more on my cv and no experience as aposed to very little on my cv and still no experience.
Thanks for your helpful opinions and best of luck with your photography.
Ben
Would rather have more on my cv and no experience as aposed to very little on my cv and still no experience.
Very sensible if I may say so. Best of luck with it all, Pete