ive got my hiab and adr and im not fussy if its a van or a artic i drive just the money
Just a couple of thoughts on this one.
I drive Class 2; got my HIAB ticket when I worked for Owens Llanelli about 4 years ago. It’s proved a very useful ticket if I’ve ever got a week or three in between contracts; guaranteed work with Jewsons or suchlike, no silly start times or finishes and home every night.
gigus, whilst I tend to agree with the rest of the guys that your money would be better spent on the Class 1, I’d also suggest that the HIAB course is a safer bet if money’s tight. Reason is, the HIAB is almost impossible to fail and once you’ve got it it does seriously increase your employability with Class 2, even given that you’ve no previous experience. If you’re in the West Midlands you’ll probably see no end of ads in the paper for HIAB drivers.
OK most of that work will be builder’s merchants, which is not everyone’s idea of fun; on the plus side it’s local and you won’t (or shouldn’t) get lost, run out of hours or clobber a low bridge, always the greatest risks with rookie class 1’s.
I would suggest, with my recruitment consultant/transport manager’s head on, that as a complete newbie to the world of trucking in your part of the world the Class2 + HIAB will get you more regular work (and less being p***ed around from contract to contract) than the Class 1 would, assuming you do start with an agency as most of us do these days.
Just my two-pennorth. Good luck whichever choice you make.