Hopefully i’m posting in the correct place. After lots of deliberating i decided on the 25th September this year to do my class 2 and 1 license. By the 25th November id passed everything scoring a 2 fault drive on both my class 1 & 2 driving test so was very happy with that. I completed my Mod 4 cpc when I took my class 2 so i’m all ready to go. I’ve been driving buses for the past 3 1/2 years so wasn’t completely intimidated by the truck and hopefully that will go in my favour now i’m looking for work.
I called TRG last week as they have been recruiting for permanent contracts at Tesco Dagenham. They were immediately interested and set me up an online theory and hazard perception test which I’ve taken and passed and I have my assessment/interview tomorrow morning (06/12/13) at 6A.M at Dagenham Tesco.
I was wondering if anybody had any tips or advice they could send my way as im feeling nervous now? I’ve not driven a truck since I passed my test so im hoping the reverse goes well. Also I don’t know about slidding fifth wheels and adjusting heights or how to use the tacho. They know im a newbie so hopefully they’ll be nice to me.
Any tips and advice would be really appreciated. Thanks everyone
Let us know how you get on. I’m considering applying soon. I too have a slight concern though in that I passed in a W&D and have never coupled an artic. I am hoping they would understand and not just expect me to do it or fail.
Well I passed the assessment no problem, reverse onto a bay and reverse between two trailers, couple and uncouple and a 20 minute drive. No problem and got offered the job. However I wont be accepting because what’s advertised and what’s actually a reality are two different things. There’s no training given what so ever and its a case of turn up on your first day there’s the keys and away you go which for a new driver especially I think is wrong. The guaranteed 42.5 hours a week is another myth and in the contract it says they only have to provide you with 330 hours per year, add to this that there was a guy moaning at them that he wasn’t getting enough hours doesn’t install confidence. They also informed me that they don’t pay you by PAYE but by a scheme called MWS where you only pay 5% tax and NI contributions. I’ve never heard of it so phoned HMRC for details and they know nothing of it and found no information on the net so don’t want a large tax bill coming through at the end of the year because my contributions haven’t been paid properly. The money is £10.50 on days and £11.50 on nights, £12.50 sat and £13.50 on Sundays with no enhanced overtime or bank holiday rates. Overall my personal feeling is that its a poor package and id rather wait for something better to come along.
Try Canute at Purfleet, their website indicates they are looking for all classes. Don’t know what pay and conditions are, but if you try, let us know, as i’ve just got my class 2 licence back and may consider going there myself.
gsb1486:
Well I passed the assessment no problem, reverse onto a bay and reverse between two trailers, couple and uncouple and a 20 minute drive. No problem and got offered the job. However I wont be accepting because what’s advertised and what’s actually a reality are two different things. There’s no training given what so ever and its a case of turn up on your first day there’s the keys and away you go which for a new driver especially I think is wrong. The guaranteed 42.5 hours a week is another myth and in the contract it says they only have to provide you with 330 hours per year, add to this that there was a guy moaning at them that he wasn’t getting enough hours doesn’t install confidence. They also informed me that they don’t pay you by PAYE but by a scheme called MWS where you only pay 5% tax and NI contributions. I’ve never heard of it so phoned HMRC for details and they know nothing of it and found no information on the net so don’t want a large tax bill coming through at the end of the year because my contributions haven’t been paid properly. The money is £10.50 on days and £11.50 on nights, £12.50 sat and £13.50 on Sundays with no enhanced overtime or bank holiday rates. Overall my personal feeling is that its a poor package and id rather wait for something better to come along.
Well done that man! Even a newbie has seen through these shysters!
Well even though I’m eager to get started with my HGV career I’m not going to be taken for a fool so will bide my time and wait for a good opportunity to arise. I’ve got a few other irons in the fire so I will post as and when things happen.
