Newbie Agency Driver Questions

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

So today I went to see an agency, filled out a zillion forms and had an informal interview. So far so good. I asked what sort of chance I had of actually getting a drive (I have no experience but loads of enthusiasm!) He said probably get me something by Thursday or Friday of this week :smiley: on a rigid to start with (I have my C+E).

So, brilliant thinks I. However, now I am dead nervous, thinking of loads of little things I don’t know!
Mainly-

  1. What happens if i need fuel? Will they give me a card?
  2. If it’s an older wagon, am I responsible for getting hold of tacho cards or will ‘they’ (agency or the company I’m driving for) give me a handfull? Or are they mostly digital now? I have a digi card.
  3. Will the delivery notes have comtact numbers on them for if (when) I get lost and can’t find their entrance?
  4. Should I just stop worrying and just ask someone in the yard when (IF) I get there? :blush:

Thanks in advance for any replies, I know it’s early days, but this is the closest I have come to a job so far. Fore warned is fore armed and all that.
I’m off to wait by the phone :laughing:

2

generallee:

  1. What happens if i need fuel? Will they give me a card? simple, just ask them what their proceedure is
  2. If it’s an older wagon, am I responsible for getting hold of tacho cards or will ‘they’ (agency or the company I’m driving for) give me a handfull? Or are they mostly digital now? I have a digi card. again ask if the vehicle is digi or analogue, if analogue the client are supposed to provide you the required amount of tacho charts but dont rely on this
  3. Will the delivery notes have comtact numbers on them for if (when) I get lost and can’t find their entrance? dont rely on this,
  4. Should I just stop worrying and just ask someone in the yard when (IF) I get there? :blush:

Thanks in advance for any replies, I know it’s early days, but this is the closest I have come to a job so far. Fore warned is fore armed and all that.
I’m off to wait by the phone :laughing:

good luck but dont believe everything the agency tells you to be true, if my agency said it was raining i would stick my head out of the window before i believed them

3

I drove an 06 wagon today that had the old style tacho still fitted to it but it’s very easy to fill out (i was fairly worried about this).

I know how you feel, I was asking myself the same question. As frustrating it is to get someone who will give you a start, the experience is 100% extremely invaluable and a lot of it will come naturally to you. My first job was and still it doing a bin run and I had lots of questions but they all come into their own. Just remember though at 4hrs driving time start looking for somewhere to stop, even if you find a very convenient place at 4.15hrs driving, take it instead of risking not getting stopped and going over your hours.

Lastly, I wish you the very very best of good will (i won’t say luck) as everything will fall into place and you will LOVE it :smiley:

4

generallee:
So today I went to see an agency, filled out a zillion forms and had an informal interview. So far so good. I asked what sort of chance I had of actually getting a drive (I have no experience but loads of enthusiasm!) He said probably get me something by Thursday or Friday of this week :smiley: on a rigid to start with (I have my C+E).

So, brilliant thinks I. However, now I am dead nervous, thinking of loads of little things I don’t know!
Mainly-

  1. What happens if i need fuel? Will they give me a card?
  2. If it’s an older wagon, am I responsible for getting hold of tacho cards or will ‘they’ (agency or the company I’m driving for) give me a handfull? Or are they mostly digital now? I have a digi card.
  3. Will the delivery notes have comtact numbers on them for if (when) I get lost and can’t find their entrance?
  4. Should I just stop worrying and just ask someone in the yard when (IF) I get there? :blush:

1 - the firm will let you know when you start - they will either have on-site pumps or give you a fuel card and tell you where you can use it.

2 - the firm you are driving for (not the agency) should provide you with a disc for the day you are working for them as they should log the disc number in their records, but it doesn’t hurt to keep a supply of your own (they are cheap to buy online or in Truckstops etc)

3 - some will, some won’t… most firms will provide you with a map (mostly out of date, but gets you close) or get a sat-nav or smart phone with Google maps etc. Depending upon where you are going, once you get close, wind the window down and ask a passer by!!

4 - if in doubt, ask… if you ask in the Transport Office, they will probably take the p*ss quite a bit but then help you, then go out in the yard and ask another driver / shunter

Don’t lose any sleep worrying about it, you’ll be fine, we’ve all been there!!

Good luck

5

Whatever you’re not sure about ASK!!! Remember, the minute you get behind that wheel the responsibility is yours so make sure it’s all ship shape and Bristol fashion.

6

Advice above is spot on.

If in doubt … Ask.

We have all been there. Never think you will be looked down on for asking a ‘stupid’ question. You will look more ‘stupid’ when you are on the side of the road with a problem that could have been sorted in the yard.

As for older vehicles, as well as making sure the cards are filled in right, give them a thorough daily vehicle check. As an agency driver, there are some companies that will give you the dregs in the corner.

Remember it’s your licence. If it looks overloaded or warning lights going on all over the shop, don’t just take it out and think ‘it’ll be ok’.

Finally. Best of luck. Remember once you’ve done it a few days, this will all come naturally.

7

Thanks all. I have a drive tomorrow (my first :smiley: ), so will try and stop flapping.

I will let you know how I get on. First time out without an instructor and loaded is a little daunting, but only a rigid with 2 drops, so I’m not off in the rally deep end! :laughing:

8

I’m in exactly the same position as the OP. First use of my Cat C tomorrow driving a tipper and wondering all the same questions. Short run – Harlow to Wymondham – but I refuse to fall into complacency. I’m also wondering if I should turn up 15 minutes earlier than requested in order to get the check out of the way before the agreed start time? Thanks to all for the advice!

9

So, after a load of flapping and really good advice on here I rock up this morning at 4.00 :frowning: after tossing and turning all night, half nervous, half excited.
The gate man gives me my keys and paperwork, I stroll down the yard to find a 10 plate MAN 6 wheeler loaded waiting for me.
I pull off the bay, stamp on the floor where the clutch should be and shut the back door, after checking there is a pump truck in there (top tip from here). After doing my walk round, I make a complete hash of trying to get the digi tacho to work, it won’t read my card.
After 3 attempts I remove my driving lisence and insert my tacho card :blush: It comes up with my name, progress at least, but then I just mash all the buttons trying to put it into driving mode. Luckily a friendly driver arrives in the yard and shows me how to work it. It’s dead simple, once you know how :smiley:

So after half an hour I’m loaded up and trucking, and another hour sees me trundling down the M6. For some reason the thought of the old tyre in the back, next to the pump truck pops into my head. Oh God, I remember reading about leaving the truck on a tyre to stop it rolling about. Fearful the damned thing will make a bid for freedom through the curtains, I nip into the next MSA. Back door open, it is where it was left, tucked under a pallet.

Quick smoke and a 15 minute break, I’m ready for the off. But the tacho has put itself onto crossed hammers when I switched the ignition on to see the clock to see if I could go yet.

Eventually I arrive at the Asda distribution centre and am whizzed in, tipped and waiting for my paperwork in quick time, my load of 1500 plastic petrol cans is obviously high priority! :unamused:
I use the waiting time to get a half hour break in, and jingle back up the M6 to Manchester. Ironically, wherever I try to fuel up have run out of diesel (I had been asked to fill her up before I got back).

Quick wash (the wagon, not me), do a tacho print out (and scribble on the back a note about my fluffed 15 earlier) and hand my paperwork in at the office, job done!

Dunno what I was worried about… :laughing: Although as first days go, I’m sure I got one of the easiest.

10

congrats on your first days class 1, sounds like you had a very easy one first time out as well :laughing:

11

Glad all the worryng was for nothing , as for 15 mins brk did you get an exceeded drive time warning come up on tacho I had that sometimes where the brk hasnt gone through as have not noticed mode has changed , what i do when that happens is just stick it on brk at my next drop for 15 mins whilst unloading so that the tacho registers a brk then no need to get myself into trouble by having an infrigment for not taken enough brk

jx

12

Jennie:
as for 15 mins brk did you get an exceeded drive time warning come up on tacho

Yeah I did, but by the time I noticed it I was well on my way home. :unamused: I was using a stop watch instead of looking at the tacho, but I have defianately learned my lesson. I did get my breaks, but made a hash of recording them properly (on the print out, there is 12 minutes of the bed then 5 minutes of crossed hammers, so hopefully it is clear the truck hasn’t moved). I understand how important it is though, so next time all will be good. Hopefully.

13

The one thing I noticed you said - you pulled off the bay, did your walk around, then made a complete hash of getting your digi card to work…

Should be the other way round…

Card in
Checks
Pull off the bay

Other than that, well done on your first run!!!

14

Herongate:
Should be the other way round…

Card in
Checks
Pull off the bay

Other than that, well done on your first run!!!

You are right, good point well made. This learning curve is steeper than anticipated!