I used the site a while back for tips to help me become a HGV driver.
I have read a lot on the site about new pass drivers not being given a go…
I passed my Cat C in March and I started straight away with Bidvest, I read all the horror stories about food service and took it upon myself to still crack on and give it a go!
Well I am almost 6 months in and I must say I love it, admittedly it’s tough going (most days) but perseverance was the key.
My long term goal is to do Class C+E in a couple of years and also my ADR as fuel tanking has always been my goal.
Just an update from me to show that new pass drivers will get a shot, just prove yourself 
Ryan1991:
I used the site a while back for tips to help me become a HGV driver.
I have read a lot on the site about new pass drivers not being given a go…
I passed my Cat C in March and I started straight away with Bidvest, I read all the horror stories about food service and took it upon myself to still crack on and give it a go!
Well I am almost 6 months in and I must say I love it, admittedly it’s tough going (most days) but perseverance was the key.
My long term goal is to do Class C+E in a couple of years and also my ADR as fuel tanking has always been my goal.
Just an update from me to show that new pass drivers will get a shot, just prove yourself
well done mate thats good news and does give us some good hope. For me unfortunately I am just hitting wall after wall! I passed last November and im still seeking a first interview let alone offer! best of all I am a chef by trade so know bidvest(3663) as well as other such like. I use Woodwards at the minute which is owned by brakes and having had a chat with the recruitment women she said it would be really good to get me on board due to my knowledge of food which comes in handy as im sure you will know. Anyhow the other week the delivery driver tells me 10 have left recently and yet dispite the women saying im now on the “radar” still nothing. Not too sure what im doing wrong but tomorrow I sign for an agency that has a job opportunity just up the road from me that sounds ideal. However this will be the third agency with not a single shift offered unless I quit my main job and hope for the best. Ideally a few shifts at weekend would have been great but unfortunately it doesnt seem to be the way. Maybe someone is trying to tell me something 
who knows. Im pretty easy going, eager to learn, never off ill and only 36 so other than my inexperience I guess its just down to bad luck at the minute. However if tomorrow fails ive decided to call things off till January now as I need to focus on some other issues. It is good however to hear success story’s like yours and wish you all the best! P.s stop slamming down the cases of tins its a pain in the arse to open them when there dented lol
Nice one mate good post, and biker you Will get there, took me a while but I’ve done a few food runs now too, as the OP says, hard work but enjoyable!
biker10:
well done mate thats good news and does give us some good hope. For me unfortunately I am just hitting wall after wall! I passed last November and im still seeking a first interview let alone offer! best of all I am a chef by trade so know bidvest(3663) as well as other such like. I use Woodwards at the minute which is owned by brakes and having had a chat with the recruitment women she said it would be really good to get me on board due to my knowledge of food which comes in handy as im sure you will know. Anyhow the other week the delivery driver tells me 10 have left recently and yet dispite the women saying im now on the “radar” still nothing. Not too sure what im doing wrong but tomorrow I sign for an agency that has a job opportunity just up the road from me that sounds ideal. However this will be the third agency with not a single shift offered unless I quit my main job and hope for the best. Ideally a few shifts at weekend would have been great but unfortunately it doesnt seem to be the way. Maybe someone is trying to tell me something
Mate, are you harassing people, or just waiting for them to get back to you?
People want to see you’re keen as mustard, so get on people’s case to give you a start!
I wouldn’t wait until January, as the post Xmas rush is the slackest time of the year…
Obviously you options would be better if you could work full time, but I wouldn’t quit to go agency as they will fill your head with lies about getting you full time work, they simply don’t know the demand week to week. However, if you approached a firm about a direct full time job, that’s a different story!
You’ll get there mate, maybe put a post on the main forum saying where you are and what you’re looking for…
Evil8Beezle:
biker10:
well done mate thats good news and does give us some good hope. For me unfortunately I am just hitting wall after wall! I passed last November and im still seeking a first interview let alone offer! best of all I am a chef by trade so know bidvest(3663) as well as other such like. I use Woodwards at the minute which is owned by brakes and having had a chat with the recruitment women she said it would be really good to get me on board due to my knowledge of food which comes in handy as im sure you will know. Anyhow the other week the delivery driver tells me 10 have left recently and yet dispite the women saying im now on the “radar” still nothing. Not too sure what im doing wrong but tomorrow I sign for an agency that has a job opportunity just up the road from me that sounds ideal. However this will be the third agency with not a single shift offered unless I quit my main job and hope for the best. Ideally a few shifts at weekend would have been great but unfortunately it doesnt seem to be the way. Maybe someone is trying to tell me somethingMate, are you harassing people, or just waiting for them to get back to you?
People want to see you’re keen as mustard, so get on people’s case to give you a start!
I wouldn’t wait until January, as the post Xmas rush is the slackest time of the year…
Obviously you options would be better if you could work full time, but I wouldn’t quit to go agency as they will fill your head with lies about getting you full time work, they simply don’t know the demand week to week. However, if you approached a firm about a direct full time job, that’s a different story!You’ll get there mate, maybe put a post on the main forum saying where you are and what you’re looking for…
maybe i need to keep pushing just not keen on looking like im begging lol. Unfortunately my contact for woodwards is off till next week but I will try again. Had a meeting with an agency today and they said they have on going work but needed Monday so i would have to quit my full time job straight away and drop to £7.50 per hour! 
They did offer a trial on Monday with them so im in two minds to just do that for experience but I think ill just tell them im available every weekend. I m going to apply to some frozen food companies direct I think such as Brakes and Bidvest like Ryan above. See what happens.
£7.50 an hour?
Where in the country are you■■?
That’s shocking…
Sorry mate, but I think you need to be more assertive, as I think the agencies are trying their luck with you.
OK you may not get the nest rates to start with, but I think you need to find out what the going rate is in your area.
And calling an agency regularly isn’t desperate, just keen…
Agencies are simple parasites. They use drivers for their own ends.
So there is nothing wrong with drivers using them when it suits. ■■■■■■■■ to them.
Evil8Beezle:
£7.50 an hour?
Where in the country are you■■?
That’s shocking…Sorry mate, but I think you need to be more assertive, as I think the agencies are trying their luck with you.
OK you may not get the nest rates to start with, but I think you need to find out what the going rate is in your area.
And calling an agency regularly isn’t desperate, just keen…
£7.50 is transit wage around Hampshire even 7.5t gets £8 class 2 £9-10 depending on agency if not more
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guys its bloody demoralizing lol. having said that ive stumbled on the idea of night driver jobs, seen a couple and already applied. good hours and i can technically say i can start straight away as I can wing some time off work do a trial week and at the same time give my full notice if i like it. Its £11 ph so bit better. I may get my c.v looked at maybe it looks crap with all my experience on another career. Maybe it could be worded better. I have applied for 4 jobs tonight all had contact numbers so I will be calling tomorrow although I think one maybe a double up as the same job. I did think £7 an hour is pretty shocking I think asda offer that in a van!
its funny how most jobs are advertising the fact that their job is 40 hours a week nice and easy when i couldnt give a "£$% whilst im actually looking for the hours lol. One of the night jobs actually says plenty of Overtime and 50 hours per week that would suit me.
eagerbeaver:
Agencies are simple parasites. They use drivers for their own ends.So there is nothing wrong with drivers using them when it suits. ■■■■■■■■ to them.
+1, totally agree.