Alright lads, passed my C+E on Friday there. Have 6/7 years experience in 7.5ton delivering furniture throughout Ireland. My driving instructor recommended me to a firm so went up to see them about getting a job.
Basically they saying they gonna put me out in a ridgid a few days and a few runs double manning an artic to for a couple weeks. To see what I am like.
I am wondering would it be worth my while registering with an agency and try to get work inbetween those days just to try and get experience?
At least its a foot through the door, it all adds to experience. There is nothing to stop you putting yourself forward to other companies , then you may have a choice ! . Agency work is better than nowt and anything is also better than nowt. The agency work can be unpredictable & dry up at different times of the year too. A company job should be ongoing so you’ll have a regular wage. Some may pay low but have bonuses that help top up your wage . This time of year things get busy, so if you can get with a company that may result ongoing, agencies can ditch you after the festive period, or anytime if they choose to.
bonnie lass:
At least its a foot through the door, it all adds to experience. There is nothing to stop you putting yourself forward to other companies , then you may have a choice ! . Agency work is better than nowt and anything is also better than nowt. The agency work can be unpredictable & dry up at different times of the year too. A company job should be ongoing so you’ll have a regular wage. Some may pay low but have bonuses that help top up your wage . This time of year things get busy, so if you can get with a company that may result ongoing, agencies can ditch you after the festive period, or anytime if they choose to.
Thanks for the reply.
That’s what I was thinking its a foot in the door. Also I’d only be using agency for experience to help speed up my “probation” period as it were.
There is another company I can go for. Would it be worth having a chat with them too?
Why not try them , are there any other haulage companies near you ? Put together a good cv & walk in & sell yourself, be prepared incase of knock back or two, do not be detered if this happens, push yourself harder.
Don’t forget you already have one in the bag !! , but you may get something better. Like I say things get busy this time of year, so best foot forward. We’ve all been there.
DaveyW:
Alright lads, passed my C+E on Friday there. Have 6/7 years experience in 7.5ton delivering furniture throughout Ireland. My driving instructor recommended me to a firm so went up to see them about getting a job.
Basically they saying they gonna put me out in a ridgid a few days and a few runs double manning an artic to for a couple weeks. To see what I am like.
I am wondering would it be worth my while registering with an agency and try to get work inbetween those days just to try and get experience?
Any help at all would be much appreciated.
I get all my work through agencies at the moment. Basically a lot of companies won’t want a newly-qualified driver, but many actually will, and some need some desperately enough to take on anyone. (Sometimes, if you just turn up you’ll get one day’s work, because they don’t have time to send you away, but they won’t have you back.) I passed mine in September, and I’ve been getting fairly regular work with a scaffolding company in Berkshire, picking up and dropping trailer loads of scaffolding and related equipment to building sites around London. I’ve also done a night (last night in fact) with a big parcel company, taking a trailer from Sussex up to a hub in the Midlands and bringing another one back. So, the work’s out there, but you’ll need to accept a fair bit of class 2 work in between, unless you land a permanent or ongoing class 1 job.
You also need to sign with as many agencies as you can find, and don’t believe anyone who says you can’t sign with anyone else – they can’t stop you. Some agencies (e.g. Driver Hire) you can sign on with multiple branches as they’re all run separately; others (e.g. The Best Connection), you can only sign with one branch.
Hi davey. Congrats on pass by way. Passed my c+e in march. Im from n.ireland myself. Joined agency months ago there. Give all ■■■■ work. Wouldnt let me near c+e. Drove class 2 once. Give me all van and 7.5. Thats not what i want to be honest. ■■■■ sittin with c+e and cant use it. Crap money also. So i went and put cv.s out there. Didnt here back from any though. I got speaking to guy threw friend he runs fleet out of england. Asked him for job he said no due to experince but told me i can work away here along with another driver. Has fleet here also. So im out tommorw for few hours. Hope goes well. Just put cvs out there as well mate. Ill be driving away myself tomorrow but with somebody keeping eye on me. But its somthing. Keep knocking on doors mate. While your with agency
Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I am lucky getting in with this company, even if it is only rigid work. as said before its a foot in the door. Gonna have a chat with the other company too just to see what they can offer me. Updated my CV today so gonna send it to the agencies and see what they can do.
I was very lucky to get taken on by a local company after I passed, and somebody somewhere will say yes to you too. Try and think of it as you’d be doing some company a favour by working for them, not in a cocky way but you’re already experienced so sell yourself, in person if possible
Quick Question:- How hard is it to pass Class 1, Compare to Class C as i have passed my Class C over a year but i have not drove one yet, Also Can i work for agency if i still want to keep my current job as i work for 4 days 12 hour shifts and then off for 4 days.
yas4u:
Quick Question:- How hard is it to pass Class 1, Compare to Class C as i have passed my Class C over a year but i have not drove one yet,
I came at it from a zero experience background. The honest answer is that, for me, the difference between class 2 and class 1 is about as big as the gap from car to truck. Even if you’re comfortable with the size aspect if driving large rigid vehicles, the introduction of the bendy bit in the middle is a whole new ball game. As soon as you turn the cab you start losing side visibility and that is most disconcerting. The opposite steering can be consciously overridden mentally, but the positioning, manoeuvring and controlling of the bend on reversing is an art that needs to be felt and is not easily taught or explained. Blindside reversing is also a whole new world and one I still don’t like doing…and never will I expect.
I take my hat off to every class 1 driver out there. They are masters of a very tricky skill.
Got a start with one of the companies and Start on Tuesday
Really pleased with the terms, getting my own unit and allowing me extra time for deliveries and giving me 1 to 1 training for the first while til I get the hang of things. Over the moon to say the least.
Going by the talk of the boss there really is a shortage of drivers at the minute, and taking on new drivers is gonna be the way forward for company’s soon.
Agency rang me today offering work too!
Yas4u Class 1 is different yes but like anything after a few corners you get the hang of it. Thankfully I took to reversing very quickly, it’s not perfect but again like anything practise makes perfect right? Haha
As for the hours thing I don’t know but I’m sure someone on here will know.
Yas4u - I found class 1 easier than class 2 (did them one straight after the other as I only wanted class 1), the reversing is tricky but it only takes practice (I can do it properly about 30% of the time now, lol!)
ORC - nobody likes blindsiding, my OH has been driving class 1 for over 20 years and even he hates it!
