Thought i would say what a great forum, am busy searching it and gleaning all the tips i can get.
Passed my class 2 & 1 back to back in November, since getting my license back in january i have done some agency work in london and locally.
I gather i am not alone in contacting firms that require drivers only to hear the age old, ‘sorry come back with experience, although you will need to get a job for that’
Still looking for anything in the Essex, thurrock, kent region. Days, nights, nights out.
Managed to get my first class 1 job out of the way on friday, took a tractor unit to pick up a trailer and then drop them both in Nottingham. After all the anxiety of getting the first one out of the way it all went well.
Some issues with trailer - tractor compatibility, had me second guessing for a while to make sure i wasnt making a newb mistake but after having the until checked out it was just a compatibility issue. Then what was really funny was getting up the M1 and having it snow and watching all the other drivers, anyone would think we had never seen snow in the uk
stwilkie:
Is there a mail order company in the uk for trucking bits, i.e, tachos, hi-vis vests, gloves, boots etc. etc.
Your employer is supposed to provide the items you’ve mentioned.
If they wish to ignore the law and you insist on supplying these items yourself, you might find that a visit to a PPE supply company such as ARCO (amongst others) will see you sorted.
Please be careful if you wish to supply tacho charts, because not all charts will be suitable for all tacho-heads. The vehicle owner is responsible that the charts (record sheets) are compatible with the machine (tacho head) that you’ll use to make the records. The law on this says that they must supply you with sufficient discs of the correct type for the work that they want you to do.
stwilkie:
Is there a mail order company in the uk for trucking bits, i.e, tachos, hi-vis vests, gloves, boots etc. etc.
Your employer is supposed to provide the items you’ve mentioned.
If they wish to ignore the law and you insist on supplying these items yourself, you might find that a visit to a PPE supply company such as ARCO (amongst others) will see you sorted.
Please be careful if you wish to supply tacho charts, because not all charts will be suitable for all tacho-heads. The vehicle owner is responsible that the charts (record sheets) are compatible with the machine (tacho head) that you’ll use to make the records. The law on this says that they must supply you with sufficient discs of the correct type for the work that they want you to do.
Save your cash mate.
Very true the company is supposed to supply these but I do have my own Hi viz shoes, gloves as I prefer this
buffoon:
in some cases your better of buying your own stuff as agency stuff is usually cheap rubbish and they charge you for the equipment anyhow
Agreed Mr buffoon Sir!!
Since the first “P” of PPE stands for “Personal,” animal’s method of having certain of her own items is certainly a very good idea.
I certainly wouldn’t fancy using somebody else’s gloves or footwear either…
Now there’s a thing. I completely forgot about a hard-hat: Is Siberia far enough, cos the colour might not be right…
Where’s my taxi 
