My first day .. ..

I finally got the call from the agency on Wednesday, just as I was about to do a ring-around and try and find work elsewhere. Work for Thursday and Friday, possible there for next week delivering fence panels, but there was a catch - “We have had a lot of problems with this client, a few drivers have walked off the job, or not turned up the next day” - great sounds fantastic to me, but then again at least it is work.

With the weather forcasted for Thursday I was a little worried that the job may be all handball, especially if they are going through drivers like that - need the experience though so I would do it for that.

Turned up just before 7 at the yard, given a job sheet with a collection first in Coventry, then a drop in Kettering and two in Telford. Only one job was handball and that was 4 ladders so I can easily cope with that. Directed out to my truck which turned out to be a “P” plate Merc which was bashed to bits, although the regular driver obviously looked after the cab well. Checked it over, secured the load, found the fuel card and off.

The first challenge was to find a Texaco garage as that is the only place their cards can be used, a quick call to a friend who has had to use those cards before and find there is one on the wrong side of the Cov Road, so straight out - U turn and then back to fill. On the way back out I was looking for somewhere to U turn again and came across a place that looked as if it was designed with room for trucks to turn (just before the Swan @ Yardley) -not this truck, turning circle turns out to be slightly wider than that of the titanic (ooops) - first lesson learned.

The collection was just on the outskirts of Coventry so up the M6, on the uphill stretch I found out just how badly the truck performed - I had about 2 ton on board (on an 18 tonner) yet I was slowing down to about 30mph in the crawler lane, went down the box and was just able to maintain that - would a “P” plate not have a turbocharger ■■ If this truck has one it doesn’t do much.

Found the road I needed without any problems, and was just pulling up to check my delivery note next to the entrance I needed - beginners luck I guess. Since the road was quiet I reversed back up and drove down to the collection point, loads of room and easy to manouver (phew). Found the site manager and the collection was onboard fairly quickly - 2 steel plates weighing in at about half a ton each. Secured the load and off, quite happy with having no problems.

By now it was beginning to get very hot and I was going through water at quite a rate fortunately when I was moving the truck stayed pretty cool. Unfortunately, I was back on the M6 and a transit driver had decided that rather than wearing out his brakes he would rather use the back of a truck to slow down. This delayed me for about and hour, but after that it was straight onto the A14 for Desborough (according to the map I was given by the company I needed to go through Desborough on the A6 to find my turning). Off the A14 and onto the A6, Desborough is signed to the left, but since I needed the A6 I stayed on that. 5 miles down the road I pulled up and looked at the map again, obviously they need a new version of Autoroute. Backtracking I found my way into the village, and then the site I needed (building site that is).

The first entrance was blocked by plant, but it looked like there may be another further along, through roadworks with traffic signals. Passing through I saw it wasn’t an entrance so I would need to turn around - but I had been fairly slow through the roadworks and some idiot driver had decided to go as soon as the lights changed - presumably she didn’t understand exactly what the green light means OR had some form of turbo-boost and planned on jumping the truck. Watching her reverse the car back made me feel much better about my questionable abilities in manouvering the truck about. When she was finally out the way I found a road to turn around in, before I even started the manouver three cars had stopped giving me plenty of room - although again the turning circle of the truck (and my lack of experience) meant that it took a bit of shuffling to get around.

Finally up to the site, and with all of the cars parked around it, newly laid kerbs and a narrow entrance there was no way I was going to get down there - don’t get me wrong, I am sure a more experienced driver would get down there - but I didn’t feel like pushing my luck on my second drop. Found the forklift driver and as I was unsecuring the load disaster strikes. Since I was partly blocking the road I was rushing and had not put my gloves on, pulling out the pole that held the load in and off comes about half the skin on the top of my thumb, lots of blood (nice). So I head down to the site office for a plaster, by the time I am back to the truck a bus is stuck behind me so rather than sort out the straps I have to head up the road until I can pull up. By this time is also seriously hot so the sweat is running off me and I am drinking water constantly.

I still had not taken a break, but (forgetting I was in a truck) hoped that I could make Corley in the time I had remaining (40-50 mins) but, by the time I was nearing the M6 I only had about 15 minutes remaining, so break was 45 minutes is a layby getting even hotter. Hand throbbing, and too hot to eat I just had to sweat it out for 45 minutes. Then off to Corley to get fresh supplies of water.

I had navigated by map during the morning, but I was concerned about time - so got out my “secret weapon” aka GPS Jane (Tom Tom). For the next job I was looking for a college so Jane directed me straight there off J6 M54 found the road with ease, and straight away there was a massive construction site on my left, didn’t say college, but since it didn’t look like houses I gave it a go. Bingo - down the access road and onto the site. Wondered how I would manage to turn around, but it wasn’t so tight that I thought I couldn’t manage it. Find the forklift driver and off goes the bag of scaffolding bits. Manage to turn around without too much of a problem and off to the next job.

No map for this (or address) just directions from J6. As I was coming off the first Telford job I asked a couple of the construction guys and managed to get some sort of directions as I had seen signs pointing to the College (a different one) that contradicted the directions I had been given. With the help of the directions I found it pretty easily, although I couldn’t find the right entrance. Headed around the block and then took a slower pass, a tiny sign pointed down the first one - so straight down there scaring all the students who were trying to leave the car park at the time (not that I was trying to, but they all looked rather worried when they were squeezing past the truck). This was a bit tighter on site, but I was able to park up right next to where they wanted the ladders dropped. Coming back out I managed to reverse up and then swing back through the entrance, it was quite tight but I managed to avoid hitting the fencing, but the wheels did run over a footing block (on the bottom of the temporary fencing) - null points for that bit of driving.

After that onto the M54, M6, M42 and back to the yard, reversed back in with no problems - although big entrance so there should really have been none anyway. Finish up ready for the next day… … …

I am really surprised at how natural driving the truck is, especially after I drove really badly on the test. My manouvering needs a heck of a lot of work, but I guess that comes with time / experience. After my first full days driving I don’t feel nearly as tired as I though I would, and more to the point, other than the second drop I have had a great day !!

G

PS: I was going to post both Thursday and Friday, but it is getting a bit long !! See poll !!

Good read m8,hope the finger is better.Just take your time.Some of them rigid’s need more room than a dam tank to get turned :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: .

Now where is Friday’s diary :wink:

Good read :smiley: . I know what you mean about the truck being natural to drive, my first job was multi-drop doing between 15-20 drops a day to places even the experienced drivers said were difficult. I was surprised and pleased when I managed to do the deliveries without incident.

A good read mate, I’d like to see Fri’s diary.

Gazzareth:
“We have had a lot of problems with this client, a few drivers have walked off the job, or not turned up the next day”

At least they were honest enough to tell you in advance! Makes a first for an agency…

Deaks:
A good read mate, I’d like to see Fri’s diary.

Gazzareth:
“We have had a lot of problems with this client, a few drivers have walked off the job, or not turned up the next day”

At least they were honest enough to tell you in advance! Makes a first for an agency…

Gave me a sleepless night though - since it sounded like I was going to the job from hell !!

Will get on with Friday’s later on !!

Yes I do want to read the reast :smiley: :wink:.

:slight_smile: Gazz, make sure you write in the company’s Accident Book about your damaged thumb (if you’re back with them on Monday.) If not, mention it to the agency person and ask them to make a written note of the circumstances and give you a copy the next time you call by.

Sounds to me that you’re going to be a natural when it comes to finding places, even after getting dodgy directions. Sometimes, you can just seem to get a ‘feeling’ that you are at the correct delivery point, even if there are no signboards, etc. visible. :sunglasses:
~ I can also think of other drivers I’ve met in the past who wouldn’t know whether they were heading north or south at any given time of the day. ~ :unamused:

I don’t think the 8 yr. old Merc. rigid would have a turbo charger and it sounds like the engine needs some TLC or maybe just the injectors refurbishing / replacing - (and very possibly for the first time in its life. :slight_smile: )

I’m looking forward to your next instalment. :stuck_out_tongue:

I didn’t think turbos were uncommon on trucks (?). I’ve driven a couple of older Renaults and they both had them.

I never take any notice when I am told about nightmare jobs. I used to work for a dialysis eqiuipment company delivering to hospitals & patients homes. A lot of drivers didn’t want it because you had to handball the stuff upstairs. It was the one of the best jobs I’ve had. They were all 2 day runs, on the 1st day I had 8, sometimes 14 drops. Night out, back to the yard in the morning, load up, home for about 10 am!! :smiley: It’s best to make your own mind up.

Building sites are not easy places to navigate, are they? The last place I worked had me delivering steel to building sites. I have had 2 and a half years experience on class 2 and there were still a few places that made me sweat! There seemed to never be anyone around to guide you passed the 4 ft drop one side and the broken drain on the other. The worst thing is when they say ‘drop it here’, then wait for you to unstrap, then say ‘sorry mate, we’ll need it over there now’. :imp:

I’m glad you got on OK and enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to friday’s installment.

I agree with the above it is best to make your own mind up! I’ve worked for 3 companys that ring fear into some agency drivers (3663, Brakes and whitbread) its all food it all handball but its a good laugh (and experiance if your new)

Once you’ve got your foot in the door and the agency knows you’ll try anything once you start getting the better assignments!

Great read Gazzareth and looking
forward to reading friday’s diary :smiley:

Super Dan:
I agree with the above it is best to make your own mind up! I’ve worked for 3 companys that ring fear into some agency drivers (3663, Brakes and whitbread[/b]) its all food it all handball but its a good laugh (and experiance if your new)
Once you’ve got your foot in the door and the agency knows you’ll try anything once you start getting the better assignments!
[/quote]
:open_mouth: Yes, you’re right ~ done all those and they do indeed ring fear into my head :confused: :open_mouth: . Never again.