Hi there. I haven’t posted anything on here since my intro but have gained a lot so thought i would try and put something back in that might help somebody else!
I did my class 2 and class 1 pretty much back to back and passed my class 1 on 1/11/2013- well happy with that!! I am self employed but in a seasonal industry so work tails off over the winter so i was just looking for a job that i could do for a couple of days a week to keep some cash coming in (and repay the cost of getting the licence!) but would fit around my existing work. Because of this I thought that the agency route would be the way to go- how wrong i was!
So- passed the test on the first and on the second i thought i’d better get a job. My instructor (who was a really top bloke and excellent instructor) had recommended a company just down the road from me to go and have a chat with so I gave that a try. Spoke to the bloke in the office who it turned out owned the company, filled a couple of forms in, had a quite informal chat and he said he’d let me know if anything came up. I went home not feeling completely confident that I would hear anything from them and thought I’d better revert to the agency plan- oops. So, got home and rang an agency
“Hi, just passed my class 1 and was wondering if you had any work?”
“Can you work tonight?”
“yes sure”
With that I was given the customers address and a start time- a rather large logistics company- sweet I thought! Turned up there and met the bloke I was told to talk to who handed me a set of keys and told me to bring my wagon in to be loaded.
The wagon turned out to be a 2 day old one with just 400 miles on the clock- I couldn’t believe it!!! So, having never sat in an arctic before ( I passed in W+D) I had to reverse this into the warehouse- talk about a learning curve! But I did it and so after getting loaded set off on a multi-drop run through the night. It was quite enjoyable but was VERY different from driving on lessons although i was certainly getting my moneys worth from my £120 sat nav! Did this job for a week without the agency or the company asking to see a licence which quite surprised me. Unfortunately the company wanted somebody to do 5 days a week which i couldn’t commit to so after the first week I was replaced but finally got time to go into the agency for my “induction” and so they could check my licence! It was then that I was introduced to the umbrella scheme- how on gods green earth is that legal?!?! But I was young? and inexperienced so i put my name on the piece of paper so that they could charge me £24 a week just to give me my wages. They then said that they had more work for me so I thought that was a bit of a result. Did a couple of other jobs for them and then got my first pay slip where i discovered the con of the umbrella 
I also noticed that they were paying me at the wrong hourly rate so got straight on the phone to them
“Oh- its just a mistake and we’ll put it right”
Ok i thought- everyone can make a mistake and to be fair the next week the money was put in but now they were only offering lower paying work (hmmm). Then one morning they phoned very early asking if i could start in half an hour. Aha I thought- now lets see about the rate of pay! So after being promised my original rate i agreed to go in for them. Did the day but then when i got my payslip at the end of the week- lo and behold- wrong rate. Straight back on the phone only to be told
“Oh no- we never agreed to that”
I know- I should have got it in writing but as i said- i was young? and naive.
So that was the end of me and that agency as i don’t believe in working for people who mess around with your money. So, i thought, i’ll just find another agency. However when I got home I had a phone call from the company I had originally gone to have a chat with that i had almost given up on, asking if i was still looking and what was i looking for with regard to full time or part time. So back for another chat and it turned out that they would be quite happy for me to work for them for a few days a week as and when they needed and i was free. Excellent i thought- that’ll do for me. So turned up for my first shift and was just following another driver which i was quite grateful for as id never been in an RDC before. Anyway, I enjoyed it and they seemed happy so i was given another day that week where i went solo 
So after a couple of months I’m still there and I’m still enjoying it- they might not be the newest wagons in the world but they are well maintained and Ive discovered a fondness of semi- automatic gearboxes- to the point where i prefer them over full autos 
So really this is a very long winded way to say to all those newbies like me, don’t give up- there is work out there but if its from an agency beware!!! I’m certainly happier working for a smallish (40 trucks) company. Also, Im aware that I’ve still got a lot to learn- I’m not the fastest person to get on a bay for instance but no-one seems to mind so if it takes me a couple of shunts then it does! Also, if I go somewhere new then when i get to security my first words are always
“Hi, I’ve not been here before- how’s it work?”
So far it’s worked quite well for me and everyone has been friendly and helpful- especially at Iceland- what is the score there?? They are all far to happy!!
Anyway- my rather long winded views of my first couple of months- definitely worth getting my licence
Well done and a great post, I had issues with agency work but in another sector, hate them with a passion but I can understand why people use them to their advantage, if they are reliable 
if I go somewhere new then when i get to security my first words are always
“Hi, I’ve not been here before- how’s it work?”
Very likely the best advice that can be given
I am sure your story will give confidence to many new drivers.
Hope it stays good 
Please do name the umbrella company and the agency its the only way others will say stuff em .
I am in total agreement that the umbrella company’s are an out right con and should be done away with.
I for one am glad you posted this. I have passed the class 2 driving, just mod 4 left. I’m also in the position where I am after a couple days of work per week to fit round an existing job. The agency was my next point of call due to hours/days work wanted and lack of experience. I would like to work in flat bed recovery/transport so maybe I’ll look into companies rather than the agency. Thanks for sharing!!!
Danielthegreat, try places like speedy hire, they transport light plant, gennys, smaller scissor lifts and the like and normally better hours than recovery
Glad it worked for you in the end, but for anyone else always get the pay rate texted to you before you start a job.
Great post and very interesting read
there are jobs out there. I had to refuse my first job offer yesterday 
. A company phoned me saying they had seen my CV and would I be interested in coming along for a chat. I thought all my birthdays had come at once, only passing the class 2 last month and finishing the CPC this week. So I asked the girl where she was based and when would she like me to come along. "We are in Gordon house blah blah industrial estate, Aberdeen. 3 hours drive each way for me. So to my great dismay I had to politely decline her offer. She asked me if I would relocate lmfao, yeah only if my missus doesn’t find out 
BTW the company is shred-it if any of you guys are up that way and are looking for class 2 work.
fantastic bit of info guys i myself passed only 2 weeks ago (dont need cpc yet as grandad rights) and have been struggling with agencies ever since ofering the umbrella thing and self employed etc i also only want work a few days a week as the wife works full time.
i did the only thing i could think of and plaster my cv and driving license to every haulage company and similar in a 10 mile radius via email and it seems to have paid off i now have a couple of interviews next week that are quite happy that i only want part time work which i was amazed at lol.
i also looked into the recovery side of things but was told that would be unlikely to be employed as due to nature or job experience is a must.
if all else fails am gonna do a bit of pavement pounding next week round the local ind estates n see what happens
good luck all.
I passed my class 2 in December 2013 and signed up with three agencies all stated largely the same as you have posted on here.
So I considered the positives and negatives of beginning HGV driving using agencies and decided to apply to local companies who needed HGV drivers and managed to be offered a job driving class 2 trucks, concrete mixer, 8W tippers and they also have artics for when I eventually pass my C+E.
I grabbed the offer with both hands as I have avoided the hassle of being fobbed off with vans, 7.5 ton and multidrop not to mention refuse trucks and skip trucks (both of which I did not really wish to drive, my personal preference you understand). Plus I am earning more per hour than I was offered by the agencies with the possibility of plenty of overtime.
I have just completed my first week and it’s been very good, much to learn as expected though helpful, friendly and welcoming and the real learning to drive HGV’s has begun.
So I’ve proven to myself that it can be done in lean times and agencies are arguably not the best route into driving HGV’s as they told me afterwards that there was no way that they could have offered me any where near the what I am now doing because of, yes you guessed “no experience!”
maneman:
I passed my class 2 in December 2013 and signed up with three agencies all stated largely the same as you have posted on here.So I considered the positives and negatives of beginning HGV driving using agencies and decided to apply to local companies who needed HGV drivers and managed to be offered a job driving class 2 trucks, concrete mixer, 8W tippers and they also have artics for when I eventually pass my C+E.
I grabbed the offer with both hands as I have avoided the hassle of being fobbed off with vans, 7.5 ton and multidrop not to mention refuse trucks and skip trucks (both of which I did not really wish to drive, my personal preference you understand). Plus I am earning more per hour than I was offered by the agencies with the possibility of plenty of overtime.I have just completed my first week and it’s been very good, much to learn as expected though helpful, friendly and welcoming and the real learning to drive HGV’s has begun.
So I’ve proven to myself that it can be done in lean times and agencies are arguably not the best route into driving HGV’s as they told me afterwards that there was no way that they could have offered me any where near the what I am now doing because of, yes you guessed “no experience!”
Nice one, I’m a bit gutted my first offer was a fish but hey that’s only my first bought of CV’s and it seems there are plenty of green horns getting starts so I’m confident the next won’t be a 3 hr drive away just to get to work
It’s good to be hearing positive stories. I always thought that agency work was the ideal way for a newbie to get good work with no experience. Sadly I think that idea might not be as factual as first thought. On a side note, having a part time job which gives me 96 hours a fortnight, where do I stand on driving hours/rest periods for driving work. Is it two separate jobs or do all working hours contribute?
A second job ( I may be wrong) counts as duty toward EU rules. P.S I’ve not gone to any agencies (yet) and had that job offer and I also have to get in touch with a (big) firm once all my docs come back from the DVLA.
There are good agencies hidden among the bad ones, just a case of finding them.
I think the idea of naming and shaming the umbrella using rate changing slave traders is the best way. If good drivers refuse to use them transport managers will soon get sick of the guys who turn up late wearing trainers that rap the truck around a post on the way out of the yard. And hopefully switch to a better agency.
Have wondered for a while if there is a way round using an agency for drivers who want temporary work, Driver co-operative anyone…
Danielthegreat:
It’s good to be hearing positive stories. I always thought that agency work was the ideal way for a newbie to get good work with no experience. Sadly I think that idea might not be as factual as first thought. On a side note, having a part time job which gives me 96 hours a fortnight, where do I stand on driving hours/rest periods for driving work. Is it two separate jobs or do all working hours contribute?
All working hours contribute. If your second job is non-driving related write out an analogue tacho to account for that days hours.
Put up a separate post for more info but ROG and Tachograph etc will be able to confirm details.
Ah yes. Agencies.
Never believe a word they say. Get everything in writing. Twice if possible. Stand your ground. Be firm but reasonable. Stick to your guns if you think they are trying to take the ■■■■, (they will be).
Security men/Gatehouse staff. Hmmm.
It’s a good plan to ask but you’ll get those that will still grunt at you as if you’ve just dropped a turd on the floor. Ignore these. They’re suffering from delusions of grandeur. As above, stick to your guns and insist they explain the crack at that particular place.
Don’t let it get to you and try and enjoy! 
(Until you get as cynical as the rest of us on here)
Truckulent:
Security men/Gatehouse staff. Hmmm.It’s a good plan to ask but you’ll get those that will still grunt at you as if you’ve just dropped a turd on the floor. Ignore these. They’re suffering from delusions of grandeur. As above, stick to your guns and insist they explain the crack at that particular place.
Yep- I work on the theory that until I’m clear on where I’m going then I’m not moving- its not my gate that I’ll be blocking