When I first passed my CE, back in March, I contacted several of the local companies to see if there was any chance of doing the odd bit for them, to gain some experience. One of them was good enough to contact me to have a chat, and see what I fancied doing. I explained I was new, and just wanted to get some experience. We had a good chat, with him asking if I was OK to come in whenever they were short staffed & help out. No problems, more than happy with that.
I had to call them yesterday, to arrange for a price for a load to be collected from Lincoln and brought to Colchester. We had another chat in general, and then he asked if I fancied doing an overnight for him last night - taking a trailer up to Goole for a 6AM tip today, then running back!
I had to turn it down though, as I had to be in Colchester for 7AM this morning - after explaining this and desperately thinking if there was any way I could get out of my commitment! Having said that though, he wasn’t at all put out, and said he thought it was a long shot, but he’d phone the next time he needed help, and wasn’t at all put out by me not being free.
Still gutted though - the thought of a night run in quiet traffic, followed by an early morning unload in the light, seems like the perfect combination for a first drive. Not sure whether the winds yesterday would have been ideal though 
Ah well, suppose I’d beter get back to the phone calls 
Gary
maybe not all lost dude, there’s always the chance that he knows people occasionally have other commitments in their lives, and maybe he was thinking an overnight run might actually be a bit much for a newbie… ya never know dude, he might be calling you on monday for another run!
When I started driving I did a bit of agency at weekends to get some experience whilst I was still working full time.
One Friday night after doing a full time Monday - Friday number I took my son to his trampolining lesson at the sports centre, came home had dinner then drove from Chelmsford to Stratford to start a night trunk in an 18tonner to Stockport. It was a new Merc auto easy as to drive the 4 hours up there, spent an hour tipping with a pump truck and kipped on the bunk for an hour, the 4 hours drive back to London was brutal massively tired and seeing signs saying London was still over 100 miles away is soul destroying. Back at Stratford I still had to get in the car and drive home.
It seemed like a good idea when the phone rang, but realistically it was a bit naughty.
yeah i did something like that.monday-friday welding,then friday night saturday night out delivering newspapers.
i did this for about a month then packed up welding i went full time driving 
Had to do the same Gary, I am working nights this week but was asked if I could go in and work Friday night as well to see the ropes (agency work). But I had been out all day driving on a digi tacho so could not risk getting caught - they said I would not be driving but I have learnt to take anything an agency says to me with a bucket of salt 
So its blind in tomorrow night…
And I could have done with the work as this weeks contract was cancelled meaning that I only got two days work in at last min.
Thanks for the replies. My business partner is in for the next 2 weeks, then off for a few days, so Sod’s law says it’ll be whilst he’s away that the phone will ring again. In all honesty, I think next time I’ll take the work, and park my missus in the office for the day - she can’t do too much harm 
Don’t mind overnights - as long as I get a few hours notice I can just close my eyes and sleep pretty much anywhere anytime, so changing from days to nights for the odd occasion isn’t too much of an issue - if I had to swap around most days I think I’d probably fall over before long!
As I said, the previous offer would probably have been perfect, but I’m sure that my chance will come again!
Gary
always wanted my licence, so finally got round to doing my class 2 and the dollars have run out so im saving for my class 1.tried no end of agencys and local companies for the odd weekend run…passed in january and havnt sat behind the wheel scince 
beggining to wonder if it was worth all that money now!
I am struggling to get 2 but getting loads of 7.5T at the mo Spanners. But very little weekend work, nearly all mon through fri tbh
iain
If my place in anything to go by, the regular drivers all squabble over the weekend work, it’s the Sunday night, off sick shifts during the week that need covering.
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Aaaarrrggghhh - got another call today, whilst I was in Cambridge, asking if there was any chance I could take a truck & load a trailer in Tonbridge Wells, and take it to ExCeL for the Grand Designs show - it had to be in TW in 2 hours. Once again I had to say no, but to be fair he wasn’t really expecting it to happen! We had a good chat though, and I called in to see him when I got back. Another good chat, and I’ve got a couple of runs lined up for later this week if they come off as planned!!!
It’s a mixture of MANs, DAFs, Mercs & Iveco, rigids & artics.
Can’t wait…
Gary
Mate that’s bad luck,
But hey at least he’s very understanding and keeps calling, I reckon the time and place is going to fall into place for you bud. 
I’m hoping to go to me Dad’s place the remainder of this week and hopefully get some advice whether to try and persue their vacancies through the agency. I’m so scared of making the leap to agency full time to get the experience to get a full time job!
I used to do full-time weekend work (fri-Sat) between 2005-2009, gave it up and never went back as it was ruining me health and my wife wanted me to make the wedding in one piece. Isn’t she so selfish 
But you know what I’d give me left leg (I can use an auto then ) to go back to it, as now it’s very hard to get noticed for weekend work at all, unlike the good years. So another plan is having to be developed to get into this a cleverer way!
I’m mad like the rest of us on here, but I need to get back to this, yes my wages will be slightly worse, the hours the same, but I don’t know something inside says I have to do this. Also it will save the wife’s sanity! 
Keep living the Essex dream bud, that’s what I am doing and I’m going to achieve it and so will you!
C