Hi all ,
im new to the forum so i thought i’d post a hello. I’ve just passed my Cat C 31/07 and have been looking for work with the agencies but i keep getting told “sorry you need 6 months driving experience” and im wondering if this is normal as ive only drove 7.5 toners before but that was a long time ago, looking for work around the Bradford area any advice please? 
get yourself with several agencies, I signed with five when I first started. I took what ever I could in the early days, including picking rubish out of an ever growing pile of mud coming off a conveyor on the end of a crusher in a quarry - that was when we had a lot of snow 
I did 10hrs a day for nearly two months in the cold, wet and snow for minimum wage £5.?
Point is - I bloody well proved I’m reliable and earned some (nearly non-existant) brownie points, which seemed to get the work coming in finally.
Hi and thanks for the advice dark I’ll do that and keep applying for jobs I see regardless of my inexperience you never know I may get a break !
when I rung my local agencies I found that they wasn’t really interested without exerience, with only 1 of them willing to take
me on with 7.5 ton work.
try going round local companies with your cv and having a chat with the transport manager, a lot of people on here have had success that way. There are companies that will take newbies on, here’s a few that I know of:
Robert Wiseman
Norbert Dentresangle
Eddie Stobart
3663
Bibby Distribution
Keep your chin up and keep with it. It is a numbers game. As the previous post mentioned get signed up with as many agencies as possible and keep your options open. Redoing your CV highlighting as much as possible you’re driving experience (including 7.5) will also help.
Driver vacancies have been poor for a while now but recent figures suggest this is changing. Whilst operators like the experience it is not always essential. The right attitude and aptitude is what most counts.
Also while the demand for drivers has been low operators can pick and choose who they want to take on. As demand for driver’s increases the excuse of “2 years experience” will no longer apply.
Keep with it though and don’t give up!!!
Hi mate,
i was in a simler position, i’ve held my licence for 11 months now and have luckly just secured my first full time (class c) work.
I was applying like you to all different agencies i could and got alot of the min exp of 6months to 2 years replies. Stick at it tho as something will come up.
The first job i got was for tesco direct doing some double manned multi drop work in a 7.5 tonne. Even tho i wanted class 2 i still took these jobs as it all adds up experiance in the cv. After this another agency rang me with more 7.5 tonne work and slowly the jobs started coming in. 2 to 3 a week.
FInally i got a class 2 job from a company that i did 7.5 tonne work for. Then after they called me for both types of work and the agency i used told me that because i jumped at doing anything and on short notice that they now rang and asked for me.
Point is just be paitent, take what you can and do the best job you can as eventually it will pay off. It’s easy to get disheartened but if you soilder on you will get there.
I’ve now got full time perm work and i’ve got maybe two months of driving experiance, there are companies out there that will give us newbies a chance.
Best of luck 
Harlow_wannabe:
when I rung my local agencies I found that they wasn’t really interested without exerience, with only 1 of them willing to take
me on with 7.5 ton work.try going round local companies with your cv and having a chat with the transport manager, a lot of people on here have had success that way. There are companies that will take newbies on, here’s a few that I know of:
Robert Wiseman
Norbert Dentresangle
Eddie Stobart
3663
Bibby Distribution
Saw 2 drivers training with Wisemans this week. What about Brewerys or Builders merchants?
Muckaway:
Harlow_wannabe:
when I rung my local agencies I found that they wasn’t really interested without exerience, with only 1 of them willing to take
me on with 7.5 ton work.try going round local companies with your cv and having a chat with the transport manager, a lot of people on here have had success that way. There are companies that will take newbies on, here’s a few that I know of:
Robert Wiseman
Norbert Dentresangle
Eddie Stobart
3663
Bibby DistributionSaw 2 drivers training with Wisemans this week. What about Brewerys or Builders merchants?
Wisemans are well known for giving newbies a chance, but from what I hear the money isn’t great.
Dray work is hard (all those heavy barrels!) so I would be inclined to think that at least some would hire you if they needed someone.
Think that builders merchants would like you to have either a HIAB or Atlas ticket. Then again if you have the C licence they may train you up. Some companies (not just the type mentioned in this thread) actually prefer newbies so that they can be trained in their way of working.
I never had a prob with agencies singed up with several but was giving an on going contract with 1 due to the fact that I had taken work at very short notice
So just be a little patient & take anything that they ask as to build up a work record with them
SuperLez:
Muckaway:
Harlow_wannabe:
when I rung my local agencies I found that they wasn’t really interested without exerience, with only 1 of them willing to take
me on with 7.5 ton work.try going round local companies with your cv and having a chat with the transport manager, a lot of people on here have had success that way. There are companies that will take newbies on, here’s a few that I know of:
Robert Wiseman
Norbert Dentresangle
Eddie Stobart
3663
Bibby DistributionSaw 2 drivers training with Wisemans this week. What about Brewerys or Builders merchants?
Wisemans are well known for giving newbies a chance, but from what I hear the money isn’t great.
Dray work is hard (all those heavy barrels!) so I would be inclined to think that at least some would hire you if they needed someone.
Think that builders merchants would like you to have either a HIAB or Atlas ticket. Then again if you have the C licence they may train you up. Some companies (not just the type mentioned in this thread) actually prefer newbies so that they can be trained in their way of working.
The same applies to tipper work.
muzza you migth aswell get every bit of money you got and buy some lotto tickets and you still got 99% more chance of winning that than getting a job . bradford they deliver everything on magic carpets dont they ha ha . if your uncle jack helped you off an elephant. would you help your uncle ■■■■■■■■ an elephant. if i was collean rooney i would get checked out . just a bit of fun cant all be doom all the best mate
muzza:
Hi all ,
im new to the forum so i thought i’d post a hello. I’ve just passed my Cat C 31/07 and have been looking for work with the agencies but i keep getting told “sorry you need 6 months driving experience” and im wondering if this is normal as ive only drove 7.5 toners before but that was a long time ago, looking for work around the Bradford area any advice please?
This is not Bradford but first time I’ve seen training offered from scratch so must be newbie friendly.
They are also advertising for Class 1 and 2 drivers.
WageEXCEEDS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE
Hours39 HOURS PER WEEK 5 DAYS OUT OF 7
LocationAMESBURY, WILTSHIRE SP4
DurationPermanent
Date posted10 September 2010
Closing date30 October 2010
Pension detailsPension available
Description
A fantastic opportunity has arisen and as part of our continued investment in employee development and ensuring first class service to our customers we have exciting career opportunities at our Amesbury Depot. Through our ‘Driver Training Scheme’ we are looking for bright and enthusiastic individuals who have a full (Category B) car licence. Don’t have a heavy goods licence? Don’t worry, as part of our continued commitment to our staff we will pay for all the training required for you to pass your LGV C or LGV C + E test. You don’t need to pay a penny! All we ask is for a return of service and your commitment to the business. Terms and conditions apply. Only candidates who we wish to progress through to the next stage of our recruitment process will be contacted. Full job description is available from Salisbury Jobcentre. Company application form available from Salisbury Jobcentre, forms to be returned to Salisbury Jobcentre with a copy of CURRENT DRIVING LICENCE.
How to apply
You can apply for this job by obtaining the employer’s application form by telephoning 01722 315280 ext and asking for Recruitment Line and returning the completed application form to the Labour Market and Recruitment Adviser at, Summerlock Approach, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7RW.
Employer
ROBERT WISEMAN DAIRIES
Robert wisemans are crying out for drivers at amesbury (rumour)
Well rumour is that a lot of the drivers have walked out because they cant hack the early morning starts.
James
darkseeker:
get yourself with several agencies, I signed with five when I first started. I took what ever I could in the early days, including picking rubish out of an ever growing pile of mud coming off a conveyor on the end of a crusher in a quarry - that was when we had a lot of snowPoint is - I bloody well proved I’m reliable and earned some (nearly non-existant) brownie points, which seemed to get the work coming in finally.
Well done darkseeker, aint it funny if you get off your ■■■■ and put yourself about thing’s happen, and you get work, fair play and good luck to you.
It may be regional but I have agencies crying out for drivers at present, but some drivers don’t want work they turn down jobs that will gain that experience they need.
I can think of many newbies on here that have got jobs by looking and working for it, and I for one admire them for it.
At the risk of having brick ends thrown at me, rant over.
As im with several agency & 1 has given me an on-going contract ok not really what I want but it is driving cat C so gaining the experience & with a large comp ( DHL ) my 1st agency phoned other day to offer me some van work again on - going with the poss of full time job ( NHS ) nut had to turn down due to fact after looking at it all decided to stay where I am as this too could lead to full time
animal:
As im with several agency & 1 has given me an on-going contract ok not really what I want but it is driving cat C so gaining the experience & with a large comp ( DHL ) my 1st agency phoned other day to offer me some van work again on - going with the poss of full time job ( NHS ) nut had to turn down due to fact after looking at it all decided to stay where I am as this too could lead to full time
Thats the right idea, well done animal…guess what with that attitude you will get where you wnt to go…it dosn’t happen overnight and it dosn’t get given on a plate…I have had some good jobs and earnt good money but I have also been a bin man.
Like other people have said sign up with as many agencies as possible. And then always keep your mobile on. Think like an agency.; they’ve got to not send a driver that could bend a truck but they’ve also got cover the work or they let a customer down. Which is worse. So make sure when the agency get that 0500 am call from a panicking client that YOU will be the one who answers your mobile at 0502. And keep talking to them; every other day or so a friendly call to say that your checking to see if there is anything and you’re available will mean that they’re more likely to remember you when they need a driver.
You’re all going about this all wrong. The mistake you are making is telling them you don’t have any experience. FAIL. If you tell them that you’ll NEVER get any work unless someone who was due to start a job at 4am lets them down, and that is when your phone rings. 
What you NEED to do to get the work is tell them you’ve been working constantly since the day you passed. Obviously that’s difficult if you only passed your test yesterday, but if you passed at the end of July then you tell them you have 3 months experience and have been working for (insert plausible story here that isn’t too checkable) since you passed and then you’ll get work, even more so if you can match the imaginary work you’ve been doing to the actual type of work that is on offer, fridges for example.
Got to remember that agencies are the scum of the earth. They don’t give a [zb] whether you’ve got 100 years experience or none at all - all they care about is bums on seats but their clients all want drivers with experience so the agency is having their arm twisted to ‘enforce’ it in order to keep the client. The client won’t be interested in a 0 experience driver usually for insurance reasons, but when they urgently need to get a load from A to B or face heavy penalties from their own customer then a 3 month experience driver suddenly becomes appealing, especially when the agency furnishes them with all the experience you’ve had since passing. Client thinks “hmm, well he obviously knows which end of the truck the steering wheel is at” and agrees to use you. Result! The rest is down to you to use the noggin you were born with and apply large quantities of it on the job to ensure you don’t [zb] up.