Samhollis1987:
Do you lads think I would have more chance of getting started if I get my class c+e ?
There’s as many ladies around here than there is lads these days 
But it would certainly open up more doors IMO.
Youll have a better chance with a CE, but still rare without experience. I know you said your old man works for ASDA - They require a year and recruit warehouse staff who want a go at driving prior to external.
Last year asda took a lad on class c+e that only had class c experiance ! Someone gotta give me a chance surely if I keep trying ? If no one going too give new drivers a chance there is going too be a mega shortage of drivers surely ?
Samhollis1987:
Last year asda took a lad on class c+e that only had class c experiance ! Someone gotta give me a chance surely if I keep trying ? If no one going too give new drivers a chance there is going too be a mega shortage of drivers surely ?
Often you just have to sit on the category for 2 years and blag them after the 2 years that you have had experience here and there.
Failing that you could sign up to agencies and hope there is an opportunity of a last minute job where you are one of the last options (as experienced drivers will mostly be picked first).
Best of luck to you.
Ok Senorio here
I am the manager of a haulage firm
I advertise for a driver I then receive several CV why should I employ you as a new driver as opposed to an experienced driver or ex army 
All of what I am about to list below is personal experience
A new driver goes to connect (CE) but when nearly done the unit starts to roll forward it stops when it hits another container causing several thousand pounds of damage so now have to claim off insurance that in turn goes up & also have to hire / replace the unit until damaged 1 is sorted ( so after this insisted on 2 yr experience )
The driver is asked to start at 10.30am but stops at 12.00 due to fact it is dinner time but when asked where he is gives that then he is asked how & has he been to load yet "Oh is it not loaded for me " 
A driver leaves the yard drives approx 10mile with trailer break on dosent see the sparks or other drivers trying to catch him eventually the boss gents receives a call to say there is a prob with trailer so calls driver who then does stop fortunately no damage
Driver leaves with a full load on has the trailer break on but this time not so lucky as above as 3 tyres are ripped so now a fitter has to be called ( tyres at pprox £200 each ) then the call out fee etc so quiet an expensive mistake also the delivery is late
Yes there are a couple more so why should I employ you & what makes you so different to the above
These people you have employed arebviously not the full ticket ! I can assure anyone who was too give me a chance will not be disappointed I have been a Self employed bricklayer since I was 16 I am hungry for money I will work any hours… Weekends anything ! These people that have made these mistakes aren’t interested in driving a lorry they are just there cause they have too be I want too drive a lorry I take great pride in my work whether it laying bricks or driving a lorry … Everything has too b perfect ! But on your side of things I can understand why you want 2 years experience . I just need someone too give me a chance too prove myself
I didnt employ them but did work with them all & yes they were all full ticket as you say
They were all hungry for work ( this 1st 1 ) simple school boy error he forgot to put handbreak on
The others were ex army & as most of there are loaded for them he thought the same also a youngster ( 24 ) as he had been in army since 16 he was used to been told what to do & when to eat so that had become instilled in him dot think he had been out of army long enough
The trailer break again new licence forgot to check simple school boy error
These were all wanting to work but as new driver maybe a bit over keen at times & a simple thing they forgot was very costly to the employer & due to profit margins being so tight these day they cant afford such simple mistakes
So what makes you so different that they should employ you as they have given young new qualified drivers a chance & they have made too many school boy errors
Yes we all make mistakes at times some we get away with some we dont maybe this is why it can be hard for new driver due to the past experience of new drivers
Sorry to play devil advocate but this is the way an employer may see it or had these kind of experiences or worse
What makes me different ? There is no answer too that because I’m a new driver n there’s no way I can make out I’m not cause that’s they will just your a new driver ! I just gotta hope someone will give me a chance too prove myself
Samhollis1987:
What makes me different ? There is no answer too that because I’m a new driver n there’s no way I can make out I’m not cause that’s they will just your a new driver ! I just gotta hope someone will give me a chance too prove myself
I’m in the same boat Sam (got a thread in here) but I’ve adopted the “Ice Pilots” philosophy now.
Ever seen Ice Pilots? Newly qualified pilots go to work at Buffalo Airways, Yellowknife, NT, Canada. They start on the ramp, clearing snow and loading cargo. Then if they stick at it they get made flight attendants. If they do well there the boss gives them a chance as co-pilot on the DC-3, if they succeed there they fly more.
I’m a new C+E myself and after 22 years on touring coaches am chomping at the bit to drive artics. But I’m realistic.
I’m making it clear to every haulage firm and agency I contact that I’m prepared to start way at the bottom an vans or 7.5t and build my reputation and work my ■■■ off until I get a crack at an artic.
I’ll drive anything (without seats and windows) to earn a few quid.
Not ideal but needs must.
Good luck fella, in a few years you and I will be puppy walking the newbies and we’ll be the old hands.
OK Animal, if we are playing ‘Devils Advocate’, lets see it from the wider haulage industry side for a moment. Not from the perspective of the minority of errors, that if we are being honest we all made in our new jobs over the years, but from the prospect of the long term future.
if every employer were to stick to the mantra “I’m not employing newbies, let them get their experience with some other mug’s equipment” then within a few year there wouldn’t be any experienced drivers to call upon.
If on the other hand, each employer invested just a couple of days a year on a single new driver, putting him/her with an experienced hand who was prepared to share their knowledge, we wouldn’t have this selfish attitude towards new, willing young blood that like it or not are the future of this industry.
Even the third world agencies have woken up to the fact that you need to invest in people and skills. They no longer send a fancy all singing all dancing water pump to a dry village because it is only any good for the short time its serviceable, when it brakes down they are back to square one. Instead, they send the most basic water pump and train the villagers to use it properly and maintain it regularly themselves.
Invest in the future or you won’t have one…
Mark
Mark that is bang on the button !! How I someone Like me supposed too get 2 years experience if no one will give me a chance ! I would happily work the first week or so for nothing so they could send an experienced driver with me to dhow me the ropes ! That is what these haulage firms should do or there will b no drivers in the end !
But that was done back in the day as you had a “drivers mate” who then became the driver who then had a new guy with him to teach him
But due to the profit margin being so slim now that dont happen & wages being what they are also many dad ook there son with them so in turn would pass on there experience so boss would take them on but H&S has put pay to that
Nice idea in an ideal world
But Mark like your idea & yep defo devils advocate 
So that is why newbies tend & have to work agency
Last year I took a job working on small vans as that was the best on offer
Samhollis1987:
Mark that is bang on the button !! How I someone Like me supposed too get 2 years experience if no one will give me a chance ! I would happily work the first week or so for nothing so they could send an experienced driver with me to dhow me the ropes ! That is what these haulage firms should do or there will b no drivers in the end !
I remember the days when sites were after brickies they would advertise for “bricklayers but no improvers” i.e. brickies that had just come out of appreticeship but were still wet behind the ears, so not much difference to haulage game and the 2 year really. It’s supply and demand, only the best brickies will keep in work and the same goes for drivers.
animal:
Ok Senorio hereI am the manager of a haulage firm
I advertise for a driver I then receive several CV why should I employ you as a new driver as opposed to an experienced driver or ex army
All of what I am about to list below is personal experience
A new driver goes to connect (CE) but when nearly done the unit starts to roll forward it stops when it hits another container causing several thousand pounds of damage so now have to claim off insurance that in turn goes up & also have to hire / replace the unit until damaged 1 is sorted ( so after this insisted on 2 yr experience )
The driver is asked to start at 10.30am but stops at 12.00 due to fact it is dinner time but when asked where he is gives that then he is asked how & has he been to load yet "Oh is it not loaded for me "
A driver leaves the yard drives approx 10mile with trailer break on dosent see the sparks or other drivers trying to catch him eventually the boss gents receives a call to say there is a prob with trailer so calls driver who then does stop fortunately no damage
Driver leaves with a full load on has the trailer break on but this time not so lucky as above as 3 tyres are ripped so now a fitter has to be called ( tyres at pprox £200 each ) then the call out fee etc so quiet an expensive mistake also the delivery is late
Yes there are a couple more so why should I employ you & what makes you so different to the above
In my personal experience, I have known,
Driver smashes mirror on a container
Lets go of door in high winds and wrecks the hinges
Pulls airlines out (forgot to disconnect when uncoupling)
forgets to apply parking brake then instead of unplugging airline, tries to rush around to unit to apply parking brake.
hits a bridge with a double decker
drops loaded container on wrong pins overloading axle…
All the above happended to various drivers all of which were ‘experienced’ and had had their licence at least 2 years. One or two for many years… 
It’s not just newbies that make mistakes… 
(and no, none of the above was me!)
Samhollis1987:
Mark that is bang on the button !! How I someone Like me supposed too get 2 years experience if no one will give me a chance ! I would happily work the first week or so for nothing so they could send an experienced driver with me to dhow me the ropes ! That is what these haulage firms should do or there will b no drivers in the end !
Never work for nothing…reduced rate perhaps while training…if you work for nothing…you’re a mug and they now know you are…
Do yourself a favour and don’t mate…Offer to work at a reduced rate by all means but never for free…
Foxstein:
Samhollis1987:
Mark that is bang on the button !! How I someone Like me supposed too get 2 years experience if no one will give me a chance ! I would happily work the first week or so for nothing so they could send an experienced driver with me to dhow me the ropes ! That is what these haulage firms should do or there will b no drivers in the end !I remember the days when sites were after brickies they would advertise for “bricklayers but no improvers” i.e. brickies that had just come out of appreticeship but were still wet behind the ears, so not much difference to haulage game and the 2 year really. It’s supply and demand, only the best brickies will keep in work and the same goes for drivers.
I disagree. The drivers that stay in work when times are tough are mostly the ones prepared to work for the least money mate…
Foxstein:
Samhollis1987:
Mark that is bang on the button !! How I someone Like me supposed too get 2 years experience if no one will give me a chance ! I would happily work the first week or so for nothing so they could send an experienced driver with me to dhow me the ropes ! That is what these haulage firms should do or there will b no drivers in the end !I remember the days when sites were after brickies they would advertise for “bricklayers but no improvers” i.e. brickies that had just come out of appreticeship but were still wet behind the ears, so not much difference to haulage game and the 2 year really. It’s supply and demand, only the best brickies will keep in work and the same goes for drivers.
It can apply to any industry when I was 16 went after job they wanted experience & the qualifications this was back in the late 70’s btw so not really recent
Truckulent:
animal:
Ok Senorio hereI am the manager of a haulage firm
I advertise for a driver I then receive several CV why should I employ you as a new driver as opposed to an experienced driver or ex army
All of what I am about to list below is personal experience
A new driver goes to connect (CE) but when nearly done the unit starts to roll forward it stops when it hits another container causing several thousand pounds of damage so now have to claim off insurance that in turn goes up & also have to hire / replace the unit until damaged 1 is sorted ( so after this insisted on 2 yr experience )
The driver is asked to start at 10.30am but stops at 12.00 due to fact it is dinner time but when asked where he is gives that then he is asked how & has he been to load yet "Oh is it not loaded for me "
A driver leaves the yard drives approx 10mile with trailer break on dosent see the sparks or other drivers trying to catch him eventually the boss gents receives a call to say there is a prob with trailer so calls driver who then does stop fortunately no damage
Driver leaves with a full load on has the trailer break on but this time not so lucky as above as 3 tyres are ripped so now a fitter has to be called ( tyres at pprox £200 each ) then the call out fee etc so quiet an expensive mistake also the delivery is late
Yes there are a couple more so why should I employ you & what makes you so different to the above
In my personal experience, I have known,
Driver smashes mirror on a container
Lets go of door in high winds and wrecks the hinges
Pulls airlines out (forgot to disconnect when uncoupling)
forgets to apply parking brake then instead of unplugging airline, tries to rush around to unit to apply parking brake.
hits a bridge with a double decker
drops loaded container on wrong pins overloading axle…All the above happended to various drivers all of which were ‘experienced’ and had had their licence at least 2 years. One or two for many years…
It’s not just newbies that make mistakes…
(and no, none of the above was me!)
None of above was me either & yep agree it can happen to experienced drivers as well but newbies tend to be watched more & 1 mistake then that is it
Not long ago I know an experienced driver drop a trailer on it knees ( he did managed to sort out with some help ) maybe that is the difference an experience driver can NORMALLY sort out a prob
Truckulent:
Never work for nothing…reduced rate perhaps while training…if you work for nothing…you’re a mug and they now know you are…Do yourself a favour and don’t mate…Offer to work at a reduced rate by all means but never for free…
I fully agree, but your not working for nothing are you ? you are working for a few days without being paid, but in return you receive the knowledge and experience of your mentor driver. In my view that is worth far more than a few quid in the long term. 
iDriver:
Truckulent:
Never work for nothing…reduced rate perhaps while training…if you work for nothing…you’re a mug and they now know you are…Do yourself a favour and don’t mate…Offer to work at a reduced rate by all means but never for free…
I fully agree, but your not working for nothing are you ? you are working for a few days without being paid, but in return you receive the knowledge and experience of your mentor driver. In my view that is worth far more than a few quid in the long term.
It is - but only if the job is sealed and signed…amazing how many people ‘don’t make the grade’ after they’ve toiled for a week for nowt…
On balance, an employer that expects you to work for nowt,is not much of an employer to work for and has little respect for their staff.
Which means they’ll shaft you in the end whatever…