I have just past my C+E and live in the North East of England (County Durham) can anyone recommend any good companies I should try for a job, I have a well paid office job at the moment (that I hate) so I don’ t just want to take the first thing that comes along, can anyone help? 
MRS at Shildon.
Graeme:
I have a well paid office job at the moment "
I would hang onto that thought, 
well paid driving jobs are as rare as hens teeth in the North East.
Many agencies will give you a start up here and most pay £7 - £7.50 an hour and most have long term contracts.
Unfortunatly I am on Teesside and a little too far away to give you anything more than a general idea
Kent Connection at Blaydon join the elite set of fridge boys 
they take on recent test passers.
This woiuld also depend on what type of job you wanted!! 
Do you want to Tramp? or Trunk? Multi-drop?
What are your long term goals? remembering that as a new driver your choices may be limited! but if you have ideas where you want to be in maybe 2 years time, that may well help make up your mind where you should start!
Durhan City Transport
Tyneside Express Services
Dunns ( @ Shildon)
J I N
they are all based in or around Durham, do know some more that are based futher North if you you would like
I would hang onto that thought, well paid driving jobs are as rare as hens teeth in the North East
I would echo that.
I was at Blyth docks about 18 months ago,when I was working for Exhell at Sherburn,picking up a load of bog rolls.I got talking,like you do,to a couple of lads who worked for Tyneside based comapnies,and the subject of money came up.It turned out they were on about £5.50 an hour for Class 1,and were gobsmacked when I told them I was on £9 an hour,night rate,even at 8am in the morning,and got this right until the end of my shift,whenever that was.The reason being,I started at 2am,and the agreement with the management and union,was I got paid night shift pay.
Our day rate was just over £8,which still left them speechless.
Thats why I moved to Yorkshire 18 years ago from Gateshead.
Ken.
If you can cope with long hours, 4 nights out sometimes 5. Very early starts on monday morning, late finishes on a friday or dinner time on a saturday, don’t mind driving a Scania with a tipper on the back, give Hargreaves Transport a ring
If you are just starting why don’t you try Swifts (Christian Salvenson) not sure where the depot is but it used to be between Darlington and Durham.
They used to take on new starters.
Yeh Christian Salvenson have a depot near Teesside Airport! Darlo! but new drivers even Class 1 only get to drive the multi-drop rigids!!!
Crap job it is as well! unless it has changed 
which it may have done!
last I heard Christian Salvenson use PL workforce for the agency drivers which is part of the Lane Group! PL darlo, It isn’t a agency I would recomend!
saying that if you are lucky they do have some easy jobs, I did a bit for them a while ago( About 2 Years) and needed a threating letter to get what I was due! I did recieve it in the end so maybe they have improved!
Hi Graeme.
How about Simpson Brothers ? I saw 1 of their wagons go past my office window to-day.
Perhaps the N/East members can comment on this firm.
Hi as well Pat - talking about Swifts - did you ever visit their Birmingham depot ■■
Cheers,
Niall.
Theres always NAS Agency in Bowburn on Tursdale ind Estate, after the driver I got from them I dont think they are to bothered about experience, and I’m mates with them even helped them out a few times when they were stuck.
But in the NE average rate of pay is between £5 and £5.50 ph if working direct for a company, Agency’s vary but normally around £6.50 and you end up travelling around to different companies.
Davey Driver:
But in the NE average rate of pay is between £5 and £5.50 ph if working direct for a company, Agency’s vary but normally around £6.50 and you end up travelling around to different companies.
That may be the case on Tyneside Davey but here on Teesside most Agencies pay around £7 - £8 for class 1 and full time jobs @ £6-£7!!
So if you live in the middle like Durham it looks like it would pay to use agencies in the Boro!
Does your well paid office job pay more or less than you could get lorry driving? Does it offer career development which will give you significantly higher earnings as you get older? I would be inclined to identify what I hated about the job (colleages, boss, environment or whatever) and do something about that first.
Driving is great from the point of view of having no responsibility beyond getting the job done ( no worrying about strategic planning, for example), but you have to do the hours to get the money.
Thank you all for your advice it looks like I could be starting for Simpsons just need to get it confirmed, I have asked for and will be getting night work to start off with the rate works out at £7.50 (for nights) will no doubt be asking you all loads of questions over the next few months, again thank you all for taking the time. 
I have to say,£7.50 for nights is a paltry sum really,however,you’ll get that all important thing that all new drivers crave…experience.
And you know where to come if you want answers to your questions.
Good luck Graeme.
Ken.