I am thinking slightly ahead and wondering what the best kind of work would be to give the easiest introduction into class 1 work?
Trunking runs from point A to point B with no tricky reverses or tight spots sounds good to me, would container work or tipper work fit this criteria and also be good for the newbie driver?
MickyB666:
I am thinking slightly ahead and wondering what the best kind of work would be to give the easiest introduction into class 1 work?Trunking runs from point A to point B with no tricky reverses or tight spots sounds good to me, would container work or tipper work fit this criteria and also be good for the newbie driver?
Sounds great but you stand more chance of getting supermarket work and that’s awful
You can and do encounter tight and tricky situtions on containers. You won’t be taking them to RDC’s all the time, you could be trying to take a 40ft box to a rinky-■■■■ business park where people have no idea how to park.
Why shy away from it. Get stuck in and learn if your scared of it why take the test in the first place 
m_attt:
Why shy away from it. Get stuck in and learn if your scared of it why take the test in the first place
^^^ This
Sounds great in theory mate but if i was you i would embrace reversing absolutely anywhere.
Ive been trunking since i passed my test. 3 months=3 reverses down at our hub. I reverse everyday at the home yard but once you get the hang of that its not what youd class a hard reverse unless you have wee vans in your way.
I love trunking just now but there comes a time you realise that being flung in at the deep end and having to reverse early doors is what makes you a driver. Most guys can point and shoot down a road straight, experience is what makes you a driver and that tricky experience isnt always there trunking.
Ill keep plugging away and learning the job, if i had my time over again id have taken my two weeks offer off a company night shunting. Thats what i would look for!
There are many places where you have to blindside your reverse. As others have said, don’t make a rod for your own back.
Landfill, thats a eye opener…
m_attt:
Why shy away from it. Get stuck in and learn if your scared of it why take the test in the first place
Not the case - I am not shying away from anything I took the test with the intention of driving C+E and still intend on driving C+E, it would be a lot of money to waste for it just to be decoration on the licence, I am just trying to take the sensible approach in not trying to run before I can walk.
There is lots of variation in the different types of C+E work available, so there must be some more suited to the novice drivers than others - I am seeking the opinion of the more experienced drivers, those that have the knowledge of having already been there and done it.
Cheers
I started on fridges there were some easy reverse there were some not so easy have done a variety from containers night trunking ( 1 where I drove trailer down dropped picked trailer up back to dept ) easy work have had some challenges as well on reverse some easy some not so but you learn
I have been thrown in at the deep end with some but never been fazed by it had help have at times asked for help & other drivers have watched my back helped out if in doubt get out & luck if there are other drivers around tell them you just passed & ask for help don’t be afraid most will
I have also helped watch drivers back if the space has been tight or they were new seen a young lass come in new she was fairly new as knew the regular driver of that lorry watched her back she had only passed her test 2 weeks
animal:
I started on fridges there were some easy reverse there were some not so easy have done a variety from containers night trunking ( 1 where I drove trailer down dropped picked trailer up back to dept ) easy work have had some challenges as well on reverse some easy some not so but you learnI have been thrown in at the deep end with some but never been fazed by it had help have at times asked for help & other drivers have watched my back helped out if in doubt get out & luck if there are other drivers around tell them you just passed & ask for help don’t be afraid most will
I have also helped watch drivers back if the space has been tight or they were new seen a young lass come in new she was fairly new as knew the regular driver of that lorry watched her back she had only passed her test 2 weeks
Cheers mate, great advise
I have got work for this coming week through the agency driving just the tractor units back to base - so it will at least give me a bit of driving practice.
MickyB666:
I am thinking slightly ahead and wondering what the best kind of work would be to give the easiest introduction into class 1 work?Trunking runs from point A to point B with no tricky reverses or tight spots sounds good to me, would container work or tipper work fit this criteria and also be good for the newbie driver?
If I was you I would take any type of work offered as its still all experience.
As others have said there’s no point trying to avoid a certain types of work as a tricky drop/reverse will crop up at some point, the more you do the better you will get.
I’m on container work and it’s not physical in any way, the most work I do is to open the doors or turn twist locks. Its not all straight forward drops though just about everywhere you go will involve reversing and a lot of places are tight, such
as doing a house move in a small cul de sac, or into tight farms ect. Some of the places I go to is with a 20’ box and it just wont fit unless you shorten the trailer, reversing a shortened skelly especially a blind side ain’t fun the first time you do it, the slightest bit of steering input is a lot of movement at the rear.
Good luck in whatever you decide/find 
You’ll be lucky if you can pick and choose as a new driver.
Most companies won’t touch you without two years’ experience, so finding work of any description will be a challenge. You might be fortunate and land a job which is relatively easy (trunking and large RDCs are probably the least stressful for a novice), but if you need work then you may just have to get stuck and and take what’s going.
Take what ever comes your way it’s all practice and experience,as a newbie anything is scary no job is easy everything has its awkward places.
When I did my class 1 went straight into doing shops that’s an eye opener thought wtf have I done here lol ? But that’s all I have done you get used to it,Lancaster is 1 turn down the side street have to stop the traffic then blind it into an underground service area watch out for ducting and you can’t see,there is plastic flaps hanging down which block your mirrors out,get out reverse get out reverse back a bit then 70 yards back to land the tail lift onto a bay 4ft wide between 2 pillars.
Evening all - thought I’d add my penny’s worth! Been generally in the back ground but have posted a couple of times
Tomorrow night (16th) I start my 4th week on nights. I’m on a 4 on 4 off contract but I’ve been doing 5 nites as I’m use to working 5 days a week. I work through an agency and drive for DHL who have the Lidl contract. I work out of RDC Northfleet in Kent. Now I know a lot of people have stuck 2 fingers up at this work as it’s deemed ‘hard work’ and to be honest if you don’t like hard work then keep away but I’ve been a carpenter timber framing for 14 years and believe me that’s hard work, working in all weathers!!
The thing I like about the DHL/Lidl contract is 1. They take on newbie drivers 2. Trucks are brand new Scania’s 3. Trailers are brand new Fridge units with a tail lift so your getting exp on fridge work 4. You load the trailer so you get exp and appreciate how to properly load a trailer. 5. You gain valuable experience carrying split chilled/ambient loads and how to set the temperatures correctly 6. Very important this - REVERSING! Someone above said just get stuck in! You really do just have to get stuck in because your chucked in at deep end!! Next time your out and pass a Lidl try notice where there loading bay is, 9/10 they are stuck in the middle of the car park!!
What I’m trying to say is I’ve worked hard for the last 3 weeks, I’ve had my share of 15 hour long days (very rare) but I’ve been on such a stiff learning curve every time I’m behind the wheel I’m getting so much valuable experience I feel I can tackle anything
In my opinion store work will pay dividends in the future - Don’t shy away from it.
Lidl Northfleet-did this a couple of months ago. Bit of a swine to get to! I was going along the road, and I knew the depot was below me somewhere down to my left. I ended up in a town centre bit(Gravesend?), and then turned left at a roundabout and I came across it. Seemed to go back on myself.
Coming out of the depot though, I simply turned right, went under an underpass, and was right as rain. Obviously missed the left turn I needed when I was on the road above.
Still cant fathom it lol.
start on general/flats and after a year or so you will have the confidence to tackle anything thrown at you
