Hi all…help needed…been driving class 2 wagons for 7 years mainly skip and bin wagons and I done fridge work delivering to shops as well .just passed my class 1 last week paid for with my redundancy and now can’t get any work for class 1 , not even agency work as they all say I need to have held my licence for 2 years!!! Or have 6mts experience…my licence is clean and I have my dcpc…feeling as if I’ve wasted my time and money…also I live in Gateshead Tyne and Wear if any one knows anybody who will employ a newbee
Rant over
Thanks
Howey1973:
Hi all…help needed…been driving class 2 wagons for 7 years mainly skip and bin wagons and I done fridge work delivering to shops as well .just passed my class 1 last week paid for with my redundancy and now can’t get any work for class 1 , not even agency work as they all say I need to have held my licence for 2 years!!! Or have 6mts experience…my licence is clean and I have my dcpc…feeling as if I’ve wasted my time and money…also I live in Gateshead Tyne and Wear if any one knows anybody who will employ a newbee
Rant over
Thanks
Do a search - your issue has been dealt with many times on here.
Generally, your best chance is to visit hauliers in person, ready to go. I.e. all your gear with you and prepared to set off for the week. You are going to find it tough at first as the next three months are traditionally quiet and many experienced class 1ers will be seeking work. Sticking at it is the key, as well as turning up looking smart. Agencies won’t give a ■■■■ about you at the minute because they know work will be quiet over the next few weeks and that they’ll have plenty of drivers available.
You’re just going to have to stick at it and don’t give up. It can be done, it’s just not going to be easy at the moment.
Good luck!
Howey1973:
passed my class 1 last week
Dude, it won’t fall into your lap after one week.
The busy season is over, and for the next few months things may get slow. Try direct with hauliers, and ask other drivers what jobs (c+e) do they know of.
PMA - positive mental attitude! (I know it’s hard but it will help)
Congratulations on your pass.
If it were me I would be down the industrial estates with my cv (and licence) knocking on every hauliers door. On paper you have no experience but if you present yourself face to face and come over well and you are in the right place at the right time I’m sure you’ll get lucky. Every transport manager wants experience, no points, over 25 on paper but when push comes to shove if another driver walks and someone comes in who doesn’t fit the criteria but can start immediately and seems like a good, reliable sort then suddenly criteria isn’t the most important thing, putting a driver in the vehicle is. Don’t rely on agencies finding you work, sell yourself straight to the man (or woman) doing the hiring.
If other drivers are milling around outside chat with them too in case they’ve heard of anyone needing someone.
Also try local free papers and gumtree (if anything listed for your area) as small operators don’t usually spend out on advertising jobs or using agencies.
I’m sure you’ll get some more help specific to your locality but good luck and don’t give up, it’s not wasted, investing in yourself always pays off in the end.
Thx all will do…when I booked the course beginning of November there was loads of jobs advertised and most didn’t mention experience…now they all do…any how’s just emailed stobbarts to work out of Nissan and there was no mention of experience so hope I hear back from them.
Howey1973:
Thx all will do…when I booked the course beginning of November there was loads of jobs advertised and most didn’t mention experience…now they all do…any how’s just emailed stobbarts to work out of Nissan and there was no mention of experience so hope I hear back from them.
You’ll have to pass a screen test first…does the camera like you?
Couldn’t of put it better myself than the The Missus said , you really are going to have to get out there and tread the streets , don’t bother emailing either as an email can be easily deleted , a lot of jobs have been secured by being in the right place at the right time , I got my first class 1 break by being sent by agency on a class 2 job and just happened that they really needed a class 1 but they had been told by agency only had class 2 available just so happened I had just passed mine 3 month earlier 
(agency !!!) anyhow I thought must of been fact that hadnt had it 2 years etc to be told by TM “youve passed the test aint ya , yes I reply , well good enough for me” , next time they ring im in an artic with a 40` trailer happy days ,
So dont give up keep asking and looking 
Good luck
Why don’t you look for class 2 work with a view to moving into class 1, lots of companies run both Artics & Rigids, once you’ve got your foot in the door it will only be a matter of time before they let you out to play with the ‘Bendy’s’.
January is always lean for driving, every body’s still got full fridges & Larders left over from panic buying in December, so apply for absolutely anything for the short term & make sure that you Budget/Ration the money, redundancy money won’t last long these days.
You must know companies/customers from your last job that run transport, maybe even know some of the staff. I’ve had 2 Good jobs in the last 20 years through knowing people, the job I’m doing now was from a Sandwich Board outside the front of the offices. Think back to some of the bins/skips that you’ve done, maybe one of them will ring a bell in your head & you’ll remember a sign on the gate or a notice when you got your notes signed, asking for drivers.
Also think about companies with a high turnover of staff, they wont keep good drivers for long but its still experience at the end of the day & it will just about keep the bank account solvent.
martinviking:
Why don’t you look for class 2 work with a view to moving into class 1, lots of companies run both Artics & Rigids, once you’ve got your foot in the door it will only be a matter of time before they let you out to play with the ‘Bendy’s’.
This ^^^^^
I know you have your class 1 and want to use it but it’s a wage you need (I assume,unless you’re a kept man 
).You have 7 years on bins and skips you say…have you been driving full time for seven years or had your licence for that long?..The difference being,if you’ve been full time then you arn’t so green and not really a newun and should make what your man,yet again say’s below a good piece of advice. (2 for 2 Martin 
)
martinviking:
You must know companies/customers from your last job that run transport, maybe even know some of the staff.
Go in,ask to see the transport manager,tell them you used to deliver here,was made redundant and are looking for work and obviously leave them your phone number.
To be honest shag,tell them you are class 1 but willing to drive anything,gets you a foot in the door and makes you look flexible.
The last firm I was at I drove pick-ups,rigids,wag and drags whatever,I don’t subscribe to this my vehicle is bigger than yours crap,at the end of the day we’re drivers after a wage.
As already said knock on doors leave your CV at companies even tho they aren’t after drivers at the mo because they might be in the future.
Even if its van work to start with its a wage and if they run artics show them your reliable and flexible and ask "do you want an artic taking anywhere? " if you dont ask you will never know my agency sent me into poundland in september I knew the TM kept asking about a permanent job he said in November you can start jan 6th well pleased
Jeff.
I passed my ce last year went out looking knocking on doors did find work but did tske a few mth
Where bout in Gateshead are you ?
As there are jobs out there but you have to go looking some do take newbies on
When I get home will send a pm to you
Which agency have you tried as can give you a list if you want
Try giving Ramage a go, I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but you want/ need to work and they do take on.There are drivers that come up from Hartlepool so it can’t be all bad, can it?
Got a job!!! Induction tomorrow and start on Monday …not so good money,in fact it’s £1.50 ph less than I’m getting now overtime after 55 hrs but it gets me on the ladder…company is based in sunderland will let yous know how it goes…
animal:
Which agency have you tried as can give you a list if you want
Most up here…ADR…manpower…velocity
Howey1973:
animal:
Which agency have you tried as can give you a list if you wantMost up here…ADR…manpower…velocity
That is only a few not many
Good luck with the job who you with btw
Harkers…doin primarks
Howey1973:
Harkers…doin primarks
yep next to the new Sainsbury have a lot of W&D also some artics
Well done on the new job,
how did you find/come across it ?