well with it been my first week in an artic, im enjoying it but finding that postcodes arnt always right and you end up having to turn it round in the hardest of places or going miles out the way
whats everyone else do? same or is it just me? twice in the last week have been difficult to find
You could be in a smart car and get a ■■■■ postcode.
Unfortunately it happens all too often, in too many transport offices. The only way to try and mitigate it, is to ring your destination and ask to check their address. Works great as long as the person at the other end…
A) knows where they are
B) speaks a recognisable form of English
C) isn’t an unhelpful ■■■■
I wouldn’t ever navigate by a postcode. Some postcode areas are miles big, you could get yourself in some serious issues if you follow a satnav blindly.
Part of the job, always has been. Before these new fandangled gadgets we used to have half an address and lots of AtoZ’s to work to, they told you where the road is and that’s all you got.
Now with smart phones, you can look up the customer on Google, get the full address, check it against your notes, load it into your satnav, check the road on streetview, check the gate access and even look for the nearest butty van.
Turning round cos you missed it after all that help - Golden 
bigdavehull:
well with it been my first week in an artic, im enjoying it but finding that postcodes arnt always right and you end up having to turn it round in the hardest of places or going miles out the waywhats everyone else do? same or is it just me? twice in the last week have been difficult to find
One of the worst ones i did was follow the sat nave to Sainsbury Dartford. I ended up on the right road BUT separated by a housing estate. Long reverses, much embarassment and a missed tip.
The harsh realities, my friend!!
Ive been class 1 for a mere 5 months now, and have already become case-hardened to these sorry truths! I NEVER take the address im proffered as anything other than dubious - On top of a pair of ever vigilant eyeballs, Im packing a Snooper truckmate, Philips Navigator truckers atlas, and have just added a high-end smartphone to complete my complement of get-there aids. Always endeavour to have a reliable contact number as well. Tbh, I sometimes wonder what the hell really goes on in these offices.
Be assured that it`s the same for a large number of us bruv - just carry on regardless.
Honked:
Part of the job, always has been. Before these new fandangled gadgets we used to have half an address and lots of AtoZ’s to work to, they told you where the road is and that’s all you got.Now with smart phones, you can look up the customer on Google, get the full address, check it against your notes, load it into your satnav, check the road on streetview, check the gate access and even look for the nearest butty van.
Turning round cos you missed it after all that help - Golden
A little harsh but nonetheless true. My tip is if you are using a smart phone just get the map up and follow the road in. You have a better idea of where you are in relation to the destination…Im a poet and didnt realise!
I still missed a turning last week mind, in Halifax and had to do a 14 mile round trip to turn around, it happens. It was a 5 way junction with complications but still its all part of the job.
109LWB:
I wouldn’t ever navigate by a postcode. Some postcode areas are miles big, you could get yourself in some serious issues if you follow a satnav blindly.
This ^^^. If it’s my first time to a place I tend to put the postcode in the sat nav and look at a route overview of the final destination, then I’ll put the street address in and again look at the overview. If they match all is good, if they don’t then I use Yell.com to recheck.
did it today, found address etc but happened to be other side of a fence, so a reverse out and right round and a break in there for good measure i finally got in, forkie said loads of foreign drivers get stuck and abandon trucks and walk to find where they want to be, makes u wonder why they dont sort the problem out
It obviously costs but a tablet or smartphone with 3G will save you a lot of grief. Streetview will mean you can come in the right direction for the easiest reverse. You will need to use in conjunction with a truckers atlas for bridge heights and weight limits. Generally, I would say, a lot of the time streetview makes reverses that aren’t possible look possible, in my experience, so bear in mind.
Phoning ahead is a good tip but word of warning some will only have an artic delivery as a one-off and there will be the ‘had bigger in here’ mentality too.
Can’t remember the last time I’ve driven around looking for anywhere or stopped and asked for directions. With experience you get to know what the signs for good opportunities for easy turning places are and with confidence a long reverse back becomes less daunting though it’s always a pain in the dark. If a business premises you pass has a big yard it’s always worth considering.
In general it’s better to take a tricky but doable turning option over holding out for something easier that doesn’t materialise for every one you do that turns out there was a roundabout 250 yards away there’ll be at least two where a nice wide road with white markings suddenly narrows into an impassable lane.
bigdavehull:
did it today, found address etc but happened to be other side of a fence, so a reverse out and right round and a break in there for good measure i finally got in, forkie said loads of foreign drivers get stuck and abandon trucks and walk to find where they want to be, makes u wonder why they dont sort the problem out
Always makes me laugh ‘you’re not the first to do that…’ never think that the problem is theirs.
I really don’t understand why for the delivery address they can’t just provide a post code that does lead a sat nav to their door. Unless they think someone is going to stick a stamp on 26 pallets and post it to them. 
Own Account Driver:
bigdavehull:
did it today, found address etc but happened to be other side of a fence, so a reverse out and right round and a break in there for good measure i finally got in, forkie said loads of foreign drivers get stuck and abandon trucks and walk to find where they want to be, makes u wonder why they dont sort the problem outAlways makes me laugh ‘you’re not the first to do that…’ never think that the problem is theirs.
I really don’t understand why for the delivery address they can’t just provide a post code that does lead a sat nav to their door. Unless they think someone is going to stick a stamp on 26 pallets and post it to them.
I’ve been given the postcode for the head office before when the stuff is needed in a warehouse on an industrial estate. I get some strange looks when I ask them where they want 4 ton of wood flooring.
Getting lost is nothing compared too missing your exit 
Give you an idea.
This Tuesday I had a car to collect at reading. So I’m heading northbound on the A34 as I came up too the M4 junction I looked at the road signs and then the satnav and just drove past straight up the 34 and then I realised straight after I pasted the join on slip road
Least you got a postcode. I once got sent to an address that had “near the shipyard” as the full address! No street name,postcode,nothing
And of course it was 2 in the afternoon and full of one way streets. Took me about 2 hours to find it.
No where near the shipyard either!
The-Snowman:
Least you got a postcode. I once got sent to an address that had “near the shipyard” as the full address! No street name,postcode,nothing
And of course it was 2 in the afternoon and full of one way streets. Took me about 2 hours to find it.
No where near the shipyard either!
I met a a driver from Freshlinc looking really confused in Ruskington near where I used to live. He was looking for Tulip foods, all he was given was the name of the factory and the village it was in. No address, no paperwork, nothing. Luckily he was in a spot where he could back up and spin it around as he had driven past it on his way in. I saw him drive past the gatehouse when I passed in my car so it must of been the right place.
Radar19:
I met a a driver from Freshlinc looking really confused in Ruskington near where I used to live. He was looking for Tulip foods, all he was given was the name of the factory and the village it was in. No address, no paperwork, nothing. Luckily he was in a spot where he could back up and spin it around as he had driven past it on his way in. I saw him drive past the gatehouse when I passed in my car so it must of been the right place.
Google Maps people.
Search ‘Tulip Foods Ruskington’ and it shows you exactly where it is, complete with street view of the entrance and satellite views of the yard inside. ■■■■■■■■ to sat nav’s and post codes.
rob22888:
Radar19:
I met a a driver from Freshlinc looking really confused in Ruskington near where I used to live. He was looking for Tulip foods, all he was given was the name of the factory and the village it was in. No address, no paperwork, nothing. Luckily he was in a spot where he could back up and spin it around as he had driven past it on his way in. I saw him drive past the gatehouse when I passed in my car so it must of been the right place.Google Maps people.
Search ‘Tulip Foods Ruskington’ and it shows you exactly where it is, complete with street view of the entrance and satellite views of the yard inside. ■■■■■■■■ to sat nav’s and post codes.
You don’t need anything ,just take the skeggy road,straight on at the r/o and it’s down there on the right
Radar19:
The-Snowman:
Least you got a postcode. I once got sent to an address that had “near the shipyard” as the full address! No street name,postcode,nothing
And of course it was 2 in the afternoon and full of one way streets. Took me about 2 hours to find it.
No where near the shipyard either!I met a a driver from Freshlinc looking really confused in Ruskington near where I used to live. He was looking for Tulip foods, all he was given was the name of the factory and the village it was in. No address, no paperwork, nothing. Luckily he was in a spot where he could back up and spin it around as he had driven past it on his way in. I saw him drive past the gatehouse when I passed in my car so it must of been the right place.
Are you an ex Sleafordian radar?
mattf789:
Radar19:
The-Snowman:
Least you got a postcode. I once got sent to an address that had “near the shipyard” as the full address! No street name,postcode,nothing
And of course it was 2 in the afternoon and full of one way streets. Took me about 2 hours to find it.
No where near the shipyard either!I met a a driver from Freshlinc looking really confused in Ruskington near where I used to live. He was looking for Tulip foods, all he was given was the name of the factory and the village it was in. No address, no paperwork, nothing. Luckily he was in a spot where he could back up and spin it around as he had driven past it on his way in. I saw him drive past the gatehouse when I passed in my car so it must of been the right place.
Are you an ex Sleafordian radar?
Maybe
Firstly I put the postcode (if there is one) into the satnav, if it comes up with the right street name, that’s a good start.
Secondly, I cross reference with Google maps. If the 2 match up then happy days. Often, company names are marked on Google too which is a bonus.
If it’s a delivery I’ve not done before, then I’ll get a phone number as a back up if I get stuck, always best to phone ahead and spend 5 minutes getting detailed instructions from someone who knows the area, than God knows how long blindly trying to find somewhere.
I find that often there’s at least 1 letter/number wrong on the postcode too, or an old address that changed 5 years ago and no one has bothered to update the records 
Bear in mind also that some delivery addresses are postal addresses, and will lead you to the front of the building, when you want to be round the back, in a completely different street.
Use as many technological aids as you have available, and of course the old eye ball mk1 and you won’t go far wrong.