hi im new and yes im female , im fishing around to see if there is any other female drivers on this site who could give me some encouragement along my way , im determined to get my class one liscence , ive always been keen on cars / lorries and im level 3 motor mechanic trained but finding it difficult to find work in a garage after being out of the trade for 9 yrs . anyway , ive only got a basic driving liscence so id like info on what upgrades i need as well as words of encoragement thanks
Hi. I’m afraid there is a lot of expense to come along the way to getting a class one these days. I probably wouldn’t do it now!
However, encouraging words - i think female drivers are accepted by the alpha male truck drivers these days and i have come accross some very good ones. If you want it - go for it.
C
Hi mufftie, welcome to the forum 
It will probably cost you around £2000 all in all for your medical, theory test, Hazard perception test, class 2 (c) training and test, class 1 (c+e) training and test, then add alittle bit more if you have to do modules 2 and 4,( see the post that says …BEFORE you book your training, READ THIS…).
This has all the info you will need 
If you have the money go for it.
Keep us updated and ask all the questions you need,(there are lots of guys and gals on here who have the answers ).
John.
Hi mufftie, Im also a female and new to this site. Im just taking my cat C then heading on to my c+e. Like driverjohn has said have a read of some of the posts on here as they are a great help.
If you put your mind to it anythings possibe 
Good luck with it all and I’m sure we can all help each other along the way with any questions.
Welcome to you , first of all dont worry about the female bit think of yourself as a trucker !!! I get treated no different than all the male drivers at the place I work if a do a good job i get asked back you wont find any of the drivers saying oh god a female driver , you will be able to handle the banter after working in a grg for so long , ive had my cat c for just over a year now and am looking to train c+e in the very near future bit worried about the reversing but hopefully ill sort that so ggod luck to you and make sure you go and see a trainer and the veh before parting with any money you dont want a broker to scam you search brokers on this site and there are countless threads to warn you 
, have you had your licence pre 1997 as that could mean you have grandfather rights for cpc otherwise you will need a couple more tests to pass , google doctors on wheels i did my medical with them and around £45 mark , if you say where your based people on here might be able to suggest some training companies for you or there is a list of trainers on here reccomended anyhow any other questions just ask we are quite a friendly bunch on here
all the best
Jennie x
Thanks for replying
I know the cost of it all and roughly what needs to be done before , unfortunately I didn’t get my licence till 99 so have to start from beginning , but I do know a recommended Instructor as a friend (male) did it last year , and Im trying to get my hubby to do it aswel , money isn’t too much of an issue but the other thing Is once o have the licence how difficult is it to get a job after , Im doing It because I want to rather than being desperate to earn a living but it would be nice
I’m sure ill be on here for advice every step of the way
how difficult is it to get a job after
That’s a very contentious question!! Some folk say they’ve had a licence for ■■ years and can’t get near a job. Others end up choosing which job they want from the choice offered. There really is no way of knowing. Certainly it helps if you know the right people, if you interview well, if you present yourself well, if you have a flexible attitude. An awful lot of ifs!!
Do your best to ignore the doom-mongers. Trucking is a great career for a chosen few. For the others its a job - and a lousy one at that! For the people who look on it as a career, the future is bright. There is a line of progression if you want to climb it.
It all kicks off with the best possible training. Have a really good look around and listen to advice. Avoid middlemen at all costs. They will save you nothing and simply delay the process. Always visit the trainer unless you’ve got rock - solid recommendation.
All the very best with your new career, Pete 
Hi Mufftie I’m female too and having just passed my theory HP and cpc a month ago am now on the countdown to my triaining starting in October. I’m a dental nurse at the mo and hating it, crap pay, 9-5.30 hours bore me and I hate being stuck in the same place all day and I LOVE driving and trucks so am taking the plunge for my own sanity.
I am worried also about being able to find a job once you pass but I guess you just have to keep on trying and it will pay off eventually.
Good luck with your training and keep us posted with how you get on. ■■
Took me six.months to get my first break made an impression and never looked back the place I work for now through agency ask for me by name I always make sure I do the.best I can and it pays off I’m.even refusing work at mo which never thought would happen lol all u gotta do is not give up if its somat u really want like u I grew up around lorries spending summer hols climbing all over trailers helping me dad roping and sheeting health n safty wouldn’t allow that now but I ended up with lorries in my blood so have me the determination to keep at it
If its something u really want ti do u will suceed oh and in this job a soh helps too
Go for it
Jx
If you don’t mind someone else taking a cut of your money and being available at very short notice then agencies are a good way to get varied experience.
I have worked for 8 different employers in as many months through the agency and I have learned a lot. Different vehicle sizes, different gearboxes, curtains/tail lifts. It’s surprising how many variations are out there.
Once you have your test passed, try going to local hauliers / companies with lorries and show your face. They may just need a driver for that day, and with a good first impression under your belt it may lead to bigger and better.
Good luck with your training and theory tests.
Dean
If you wanna drive, REALLY wanna drive go for it…for some it’s the bee’s knees. BUT
Prepare:
1 For a struggle to find work, ANY work.
2 To be shafted by every agency you have anything to do with.
3 To be paid crap wages for long hours,
4 To be treated like a turd at the vast majority of RDC’s IDC’s ADC’s etc
5 To have to wait around in a squalid ‘drivers’ room’ with poor/no facilities and manky toilets.
6 To be treated like a very naughty and stupid child, all in the course of ‘Elf and Safety’
I’m not saying you will always encounter all the above all the time. But if you work as a driver for long you will encounter some/all the above at some point, and on a regular basis.
If you still fancy the job knowing all the above, you’ll do fine so go for it…
Been a trained mechanic is a help (Worked for me I’m not a female but it don’t matter) although you probably can’t get motor trade work for been out of the “trade for so long” Light/ Heavy recovery, HGV Mechanic/fitter is a good way to get in and get the experience to move across to haulage as your I’ve also had a couple of friends get hired after just passing as they was car fitters due to the company thinking we’ll take care of the trucks more etc (obviously never seen us take a car out for road test 
)
mufftie:
hi im new and yes im female , im fishing around to see if there is any other female drivers on this site who could give me some encouragement
Female 
Can women drive trucks then? And why do you only want encouragement from female drivers? There is a lady truckers club if you want to be all girls together. 
A word of advice though, if you want to be taken seriously in this industry, you don’t need to lose your femininity, but you do need to lose the ‘I’m female and a truck driver’ label. It has no bearing on being able to do the job.
Welcome to the site there’s always someone willing to help. And if they can’t help, they’ll be willing to take the ■■■■
Dont just want female encouragement I was asking for a view on wether females can make It in the trucking world , there is certainly no chip on my shoulder , and I’ve certainly got a sence of humour , so judging the replies I should do just fine
Welcome to the mad house
There are quite a few female lorry drivers on here ( me included ) that have been around the industry for a few years not always easy to get a job especially atm but does depend on where you live & who you know
There are even female instructors on here if you wish
Truckulent:
If you wanna drive, REALLY wanna drive go for it…for some it’s the bee’s knees. BUTPrepare:
1 For a struggle to find work, ANY work.
2 To be shafted by every agency you have anything to do with.
3 To be paid crap wages for long hours,
4 To be treated like a turd at the vast majority of RDC’s IDC’s ADC’s etc
5 To have to wait around in a squalid ‘drivers’ room’ with poor/no facilities and manky toilets.
6 To be treated like a very naughty and stupid child, all in the course of ‘Elf and Safety’I’m not saying you will always encounter all the above all the time. But if you work as a driver for long you will encounter some/all the above at some point, and on a regular basis.
If you still fancy the job knowing all the above, you’ll do fine so go for it…
Dont forget when you turn up they may look at you as though you have 3 heads
animal:
Truckulent:
If you wanna drive, REALLY wanna drive go for it…for some it’s the bee’s knees. BUTPrepare:
1 For a struggle to find work, ANY work.
2 To be shafted by every agency you have anything to do with.
3 To be paid crap wages for long hours,
4 To be treated like a turd at the vast majority of RDC’s IDC’s ADC’s etc
5 To have to wait around in a squalid ‘drivers’ room’ with poor/no facilities and manky toilets.
6 To be treated like a very naughty and stupid child, all in the course of ‘Elf and Safety’I’m not saying you will always encounter all the above all the time. But if you work as a driver for long you will encounter some/all the above at some point, and on a regular basis.
If you still fancy the job knowing all the above, you’ll do fine so go for it…
Dont forget when you turn up they may look at you as though you have 3 heads
■■■■ Right!!!
A woman driving a truck■■? We’re doomed, DOOMED I TELL YE!
Welcome aboard Mufftie!
mufftie:
Dont just want female encouragement I was asking for a view on wether females can make It in the trucking world
Course they can. We’ve got 4 females at our place. Ignore all the blood and guts machismo of some of the old school blokes, it ain’t a hard job at all. Sure, when folks had unreliable old British nails with crash boxes and had to sleep on planks, it might indeed have been a tough job. But now it’s all auto everything and a doddle.
And, whisper it, some of these old boys have got pretty soft. On the other forum one chap says he refuses to drive a spankers MAN TGA (a fine vehicle) coz the hand-brake is in a funny place and he can’t plump up the cushions properly or summat. I think you should enter the industry to show the doddery old fools how it’s done. 
hello and welcome to the mad shack!! i passed my C+E back in march and got a job 4 days after
like peter said ignore the doom mongers and good luck in the training do it for your self and not others i enjoy it still the freedom the views but not keen on the idiots who drive on the motorways thinking they can pick a fight with a 40 tonne wagon!! 
And the wanna be motorway police AKA Highway agency muppets!