Ok so I was going to make a diary on another post but it was a bit long winded so going to start this one seeing as I now have a job coming up in the next week.
So I passed all my theory with 90% plus in the last couple of weeks, Mod 4 with 100%
Practical with 4 minors.
Printed off 20 CV’s and convering letters and went door knocking… First haulage firm I went to said they would take me on as soon as my license and digi card came back, starting on the 16th of this month.
Its getting close and I’m getting very excited for it. Would love any advice or tips that all you experienced drivers have to help me on my first few weeks of this new career path. I have my satnav, truckers atlas etc ready and waiting to get going. My message to the new drivers is there is work out there to be had, go door knocking and she how keen your are to get going and have a postive attitude.
I will make this post into my diary… pics and how my days have gone.
As a newbie myself, the best advice i can give is don’t panic, abide by the rules and if it looks tight get out and have nosey first! Will save you a lot of ballache!
Unfortuantely not, I live in the Cotswolds but in the nearest town from me, about 6 miles there are 6 haulage firms as well as tippers and skippers. My username is a play on my surname
Hay glad to hear you had no probs finding work. Was also glad to see you say your based in the Cotswolds. I’m not far from this area.
It’s relly good to hear of a new driver finding work in this area. I hav’nt started looking yet. I spoke to afew agency’s but I didn’t like the feel of them so I desided agaist going down the agency rout for the moment. hoping to bypass them and go direct…hopefully.
I am sorting out cv’s at the moment, and compiling a list of haulage firms around the Gloucestershire/ Cotswolds area.
I wasn’t sure how easy finding work was going be round here so reading about your expirance raises my hopes of finding some thing.
I’m only looking for part time shifts over the next few months, 2 or 3 a week, doing cover for people calling in sick or holidays, weekends, ad hoc, back up. Not sure if there going be much call for this.
What kind of driving are you doing ? Tipping ? skips, multi drop ? I was going see the tipper and skip company’s first, as well as the straight up haulage company’s.
I got the ability to hire myself via a ltd company, so don’t have to be dirctly employed. Kinda acting like my own agency. Again I’m not sure this would be of any intrest round here.
Looking farward to reading how you get on. If you hear of any company’s taking on new drivers or that could use self employed ltd drivers, would relly apricate letting me know.
Good luck with the new job, hope it works out well.
Thanks for the reply, I live near Evesham and there are loads of haulage firms there. Im going to be doing general haulage, multi dropping to start with. Get some experience doing this then onto whatever the world throws at me.
I dont really know any haulage firms in Glocs/Cotswolds as I havent looked. But it my be worth dropping a CV down to Hacklings in Bourton on the Water (palletline) think there are some companies in Witney. If you could find out what tipper companies run out of the quarries around here there may be some work there.
So the big day is upon me tomorrow, first day as a HGV driver and to be honest I can’t wait. Went to the yard yesterday to have a look at my truck, I have an 03 plate MAN 18T it has been well looked after and one of the lads In the yard let me take it round the industrial estate a couple of times to get a feel for it.
When we got back to the yard he went and got my paperwork and I’m off to Cardiff with 2 drops tomorrow morning and a couple of collections out of Worcester on my way back.
I have packed in my bag ready:
Sat nav with charger and cigarette lighter usb and truckers atlas
Gloves
Pad and pens
Spare shirt
Spare pair of trousers
Wet wipes (for those lonely times )
And my lunch
Anything else you can think of? Or any advise for that run tomorrow?
)