Hi all, this is my first post.
I passed my C+E two days before my 60th birthday and four weeks later I have my first job, night trunking from Cornwall to the Midlands and back. I’ll be pulling a double deck trailer. My only other experience is a couple of weeks class 2, which went fine and I really enjoyed.
What advice would you give me to make my first couple of weeks a bit less scary?
Hello and welcome.
Not my area at all, but, expect night time road closures and diversions.
Beware low bridges. Check and double check vehicle ht and bridge signs.
Look at your route before setting off and look for diversion signs etc. If there are official signs for a diversion and a satnav is different, follow the signs. Satnavs are a very useful tool but are not the word of god.
Most companies will give you a route to follow and will plan it for you properly. Not all of them though.
Remember that the buck stops with you, so don’t “wing it” and you’ll be fine.
Well done and hopefully you’ll find plenty of advice on this forum. ASK here and ask your colleagues. Get someone to show you around the cab, switches etc. You only look a fool when you ■■■■ up because you didn’t ask about something you were unsure of.
There is NO it’s GOT to be there by 22.30. It gets there when you get there safely. Keep saying to yourself “drive carefully”. A double decker will have a very high centre of gravity so take roundabouts and slip roads slowly. If you see a pallet of bricks or something similarly heavy on the top deck it comes off and they put it on the bottom deck or it stays behind.
Be aware of your speed at those Mway exit slips. Don’t join in with the Wacky Races. Having the cab too warm will make you drowsy. Recognise that if you can’t remember passing the last services or a particular bridge then you are tired, open the window and sing, shout and think about whether you should stop at the next services for a drink out of your coffee flask and a breath of fresh air. Be aware that the services will be rammed and parking difficult. Be vigilant with your walk around checks, make sure your windows (both sides), mirrors and lights are clean and you have sufficient screenwash to cope with the amount of salt likely to be thrown up onto your windows.
This may help. I haven’t watched all of it but it looks as if it is going in the right direction.
There is plenty more both on that youtube channel and from other contributors to this forum.
Thanks very much, that’s great advice.
Thanks for the advice. Really appreciate it.
Not advice but just a well done 
Bumped into a guy I worked with saying he’s too old now to do it at 50. I said shut the f… up I passed at 52 so get on with it.
Never too old!
Actually, I’m probably too old to play front row for England, but that’s about it. 
Started THIS at 60? …what were you thinking ?
Nah seriously, good luck with it man, you’ll pi55 it…as they say.
If a trailer swap is part of the job, make doubly sure that you have wound the legs down. It’s a long time ago but my custom was to get out of the cab and walk towards the rear and all the way round doing everything that needs to be done as I pass and disconnecting the suzies last of all.
Welcome and best of luck.
Least you have an easy job trunking.
Not handballing/ pump trucks pushing cages etc.
Don’t Wana be getting involved in all that as you get older.
Sounds like you have landed a good job there.
Hope all goes well
Just be careful in this weather and the high winds.
Only problem as others have said. Highways have a habit of closing motorways overnights. (Obviously quite time for them traffic wise to carry out repairs)
And they don’t always advertise the closures so your get there then find out it’s closed at last min. And the diversion signs/routes are just general diversion
. They don’t take into account any hgvs low bridges weight limits etc. so be careful going on diversion routes
Like frangers said road closures is your biggest bug bear on nights really. If you’re running the same route every night say to hubs from depot you’ll soon get to know where the low bridges are on diversion routes.
Very easy work if you can cope with the monotony. Check your route for closures before you set off is best advice
And
and you won’t go wrong
Just realised that you started @Sainty at exactly the same age as I retired, after 39 years. Will you still be going when you’re 99? 
I’ve not got any plans to retire so who knows. 
Enjoy your retirement 
Thanks for the links. I’ve saved both and will definitely use them. Really appreciate your help.
Thanks for the reply. Funnily enough, I’ve spent today pushing bloody cages uphill on a 7.5 tonne van with no air suspension. I don’t think I could do that six days a week!! I’m hoping my new job will be quite a bit easier.