HI all, another couple of questions for ya!
It is rather worrying looking on here sometimes,probably because you guys tell it how it is and not how we tend to think it will be like before we start the job. I read stuff on here and think god,what am i getting myself into!!
Anyway my training is booked to start on the 14th for class 2 , and odviously im goin to have to start on an agency which after reading the stuff on here,im not really looking forward to, too be honest. Im from luton so not sure what the agency’s are like around here. Im also not sure about what to expect from agencys ie. Do you drive to the agency yard and pick up a truck and go from there.Theres an agency near me with a yard full of them so is that what i thought must happen or do i have to drive miles to someone else to pick it up. S~illy questions , sorry but if you dont ask…
Also im in a bit of a pradicament. About 3 years ago i worked in milton keynes as an administrator, then when my marriage broke up i moved away. Well my dad has a roofing business,which i worked for before,so i started working for him. however, i was working cash in hand for ages. Well now ive got a p45, from about 3 years ago. How do i explain this to the agency. The way i see it,if i get a p45 off an agency, then hopefully when i get a job with a new employer, they will see the recent date from the agency and not ask any questions. Hope your following this, even if it is a bit long winded. Well how do i explain this to the agency? Do they ask many questions?
Thanks in advance guys
to be honest i have worked on a few agencies class 1 & 2 but i have always been sent to companies they have never owned there own trucks
when you start at the agency the ones i went to never asked for a p45 they just ask for two refrences and what you have been doing so the best thing to do would say you have been working cash in hand
always be upfront and im sure you will get the jobs on agy work 
about the traveling alover thingy.
i live about 10 minutes away from liverpool and 15 away from manchester and that is where the agency usually send me to rdc and such things
hope this was a help for you an good luck on you training
As fozzie as said agencies send you to companies
and most agencies will want 2 reference and 1 being
a work one. If you don’t have a work reference don’t try
driver hire as I did not have one and they said no work
reference no work also manpower told me you need to
have 2 years experience to be on there books.
I don’t want to scare you chenn_uk but be careful when
you choose an agency as one of them I am with
did not ask for any references and it shows by the
contracts they have and the money they pay per hour
is appalling and lets just say that they are not bothered
about driving offences.
When you pass class 2 you don’t want to be earning no
less than £6.50 an hour depending on
area(more if possible) and see who they have contracts
for and if possible try and get some info on them by other
drivers for them ect.
Good luck with training chenn_uk and all the best .
Don’t worry about your P45, either hand that one in or just ask them for a P46, the P46 usually means you will pay basic rate tax (25%) until the tax office issue you a code. You should not get any grief from the agency but the tax man might ask questions!!!
Chenn
Don’t assume that you will have to work for an agency. After I passed my test I aplied to a local firm and got the job,some firms do accept inexperienced drivers. Remember It’s always worth a try it costs nowt but the price of stamp or phone call or both.
Good luck for your training
convoy:
manpower told me you need to
have 2 years experience to be on there books.
strange im on theres at lutterworth with 6 months exp nad i got a weeks work next week hehe haha a full week at last
shaun:
convoy:
manpower told me you need to
have 2 years experience to be on there books.strange im on theres at lutterworth with 6 months exp nad i got a weeks work next week hehe haha a full week at last
I also thought it was strange as Gordy is on manpowers
books and I think he as about 1 years experience on
class 2. Manpower at Sheffield was the first agency I
phoned and got asked if I have any experience and
when I said that I only have just passed she said you
need 2 years experience and then wanted to put the phone
but I managed to ask her advice and she said your best bet is
to contact local companies ect. It is strange shaun it could be to
do with different manpower agency’s or I got a person who was not
very helpful so who knows 
.
I think one of the problems with reading about agencies on here is that its mostly it’s from experienced drivers, who are looking for more than just experience.
But I think if you talk to most drivers as they are gaining that experience, then it is a different story.
Agencies are not all bad & there is no better way of learning the job than by doing agency work, the variety of work available is worth it’s weight in gold.
I think you will find that most of the National agencies are actually ‘Franchises’ and will therefore have differing rules.
To go back to your original question, no, agencies do not own the vehicle. They send you to an Operator with whom they have a Contract. The furthest I am prepared to travel is about 12-15 miles.
As stated, the tax situation could be a problem, unless you tell them that you have been working ‘casual’ on the Costas, or wherever. Another point to remember is your N.I. contributions which go towards your pension (If such a thing is still in existence when you retire, or become unfit for work) so you may wish to purchase your ‘stamp’ for the intervening years. It’s not a subject that I am particularly well acquainted with, so you would be well advised to do some research yourself. Try the forums on www.Moneysavingexpert.com, there is bound to be someone there who can give advice on State Pensions and Disability benefits (better to plan for it than ignore the possibility).
Now, about my roof. I have this problem and… 