Hello guys
Basically, This monday I will start to work in an agency with a class2. The duties are with COOP store to store.
I don’t have any idea about class2 and what I need to know etc etc… I’´ll be glad if somebody give me a help with some advices or anything that I need to know, cautions, how works with an angency, tacograph,… I dont know… Ill be grateful mates!
Thanks in advance!!
depends on the depot and their requirements, but it will be mainly around cages.
you will turn up to a store, go in the store and announce yourself and speak to a manager, some stores load from the front and some at the back. class 2 co-op work is tail lift to the ground then walk the cage into the store. collect empty cages if required and then strap what is left in the back up to be safe and onto the next store. keep in mind some stores will have little or no parking for trucks, so you will be fighting for space with cars (who think they own the road and trucks should give way to them 24/7)
other than that, expect to keep busy as you will be expected to do a set number of stores per day, keep your paperwork up to date and stuff like that
cautions - store access and height restrictions!
agency worker - its ok, if you work for more than one agency in a week, keep an eye on your hours and stuff, make sure you let all the agencies know you’re working for someone else and what hours, it helps them to keep an eye on you too, plus i’ve found that you being honest with them goes a long way too!
tachograph, most trucks these days are digital which makes the job a ■■■■ sight easier as it likes to moan at you for every little thing you do wrong and likes to remind you every time you due a break!
other than that, try not to stress, make sure you grab a number for the depot/manager in case you have issues or questions while on the road, and take a notebook with questions noted in to ask them when you turn up for your first shift.
relax, turn on the radio and clear your head, enjoy the open road and breathe!
good advice from Djelmo
all I’d add is - keep talking, what this means is - you’ll have a running sheet with expected arrival and departure times for each drop, if you exceed any of these by at least 15 minutes, ring the transport office, never be tempted to answer the phone whilst driving, they may keep ringing constantly, but just ignore it until you get to your next stop. The thing transport offices hate more than anything is the not knowing. They will understand delays due to traffic and unforeseen events, but don’t presume they are aware of what’s going on in the areas that you’re working in. So keep them updated by means of a quick phone call if things are even slightly going off plan.
All the agency will be concerned about is your actual start and end times, so don’t need to speak to them so much, they won’t be interested in how your day is going, however if you have any issues regarding health and safety then it is your duty to bring any issues or concerns to their attention.
keep us updated with how your first day and first week goes
do you think that there is someone to teach me a little the first day?? You know that how works all… the truck etc…
which model of tacograph its usually to see in the CLASS 2■■
To be honest it doesn’t sound as if you’re ready to go out on your own just yet.
From why you’ve written you have little or no understanding of anything associated with the job.
Maybe you can contact your local driving school and ask them for a couple of refresher lessons.
The tacho will depend on the age of the truck. If it’s the coop it’s unlikely to be analogue but it could be either one of the first wave of digi units or the newer 1.4 model.
If you haven’t driven the type of truck (I think coop use scanias for the fleet trucks) you need to ask.
Maybe you should raise these concerns with your agency and ask if they can arrange for the coop to let you go in 45 minutes earlier so the can familiarise you with the vehicle.
If not used a tail lift,you will need to shown before leaving the depot.There are buttons to find to make it work,some to be held at the same time to make it work.
Then switches in the cab to activate it or a switch on the back.
Remember the WTD regs of breaks.
6 hours of work means a 15 min break.
9 hours 30 mins.
Over 9 hours 45 min break.
But the driving time breaks come first.
You may have to buzz back doors at shops and they may take a while to open the door.
Do not rush,if not sure,ask drivers in the yard,taking notes of their tips.
The managers may not have time to help you.
You will get stressed with bad car parking and Nimbies who hate trucks.
Sounds like a wind up to me, have you even got a licence & over the age of 12 !!! …If you have & you are, then god help the agency & co-op.
Boo9729:
Sounds like a wind up to me, …
Maybe it is, but then again… maybe not.
The OP has posted what seems to be a genuine ‘newbie’ type question in the appropriate forum, so IMHO the post should get the benefit of the doubt until we know one way or the other.
We tend to be quite gentle with newbies in this forum, but he’d probably have been eaten alive in less than 5mins if he posted this question in the main PDF forum. 
A description of his first day at the CO-OP should do the trick. 
Co-op generally give you good risk assessment sheets regarding the stores you are visiting, they are quite useful regarding any hazards to watch for, read they are very useful.
Other comments have mentioned most things, oh and be careful taking the cages off the tail lift, some can be heavy, especially with ambient (beer etc.)
Take your time, if you are not sure then check, check, check
But most of all enjoy…
Hi,
I did co-op work with agency for about 5 months in Lincolnshire.
My first stint was with another driver from the same agency for an ‘induction’, where basically I was shown the load procedure, tail lift operation and the paperwork etc. Easy enough.
So the job itself, as I found it is like this. You will be expected to do 2 loads on your shift, and there may be upto 5 drops for that load, but maybe only 1 if you’re lucky. You will be given details of the drops when you report in (for your first load), go to your vehicle, do your checks and look over the drops and decide the order you will do them (I never was given any times for the drops). You then go on to the specified bay which is on the paperwork you were given, and you’ll find all your cages ready for you to load, numbered by store code. Load them according to how you will do your drops. You won’t know about your second load until you return to the depot
As I said, it was allways 2 loads for me, and it was ‘job and knock’ too, so always got the 8 hrs from the agency, but was often done in 5 - 6 hrs working time
Enjoy it - I found it an easy number to get some experience with, and the other drivers & warehouse staff were always friendly & helpful.
Trucks were mainly DAF CF65, 6 speed manual though there was a couple of MAN auto’s as well
Anything else - feel free to ask.
Good luck!
Steeps
thought co-op did an induction now that the transport was run by Nobbies danggaly bits
Hiya
Shops can be a pain in the ■■■ at the best of times, our poundland shops are a nightmare sometimes but if you get maps like we do study it before you set off to help when you get there.
Beware of joe public who when you try and reverse into somewhere hazards on bleeper going think its a sign to walk behind you drives me mad.1 tip count how many people are down the side of you if they walk behind and count em out the other side just in case 1 has stopped to answer the phone or something if you reverse and they stood still I’ll let you work the rest out.
If in doubt get store staff to watch you back its safer and in thier interest to get you tipped and gone quicker if you cant find a shop pull over and ring them for directions.
If you feel a cage tipping over get out the way sharpish never try and catch it broken bones with a cage on top of you isnt funny.
Hope this helps
Jeff.