As a very newly qualified class one and class two driver I have just been to two haulage yards and have been offered work with both, My situation is a bit different from most as I am a retired Prison Officer so have a pension to live of hence I have only been looking for temporary/relief work, The first Company is mainly tippers both rigid and artic and they have taken my details now I have my MPQC and have stated that I am exactly what they are looking for. So off I went to the second company which do predominantly Pallet ex stuff on everything from 7.5ton up to artic’s again a relief driver is just what they want so they don’t have to bother with agencies.
Anyway cut to the chase and I am working Thursday and Friday driving an 18ton rigid on £8.25hr. I have been told that the 18ton wagons go mainly to industrial estates so hopefully no complicated stuff.
Anyway I have butterflies again, other than my test I can’t remember the last time I felt like this. I have also just gone and bought a pair of work boots that look ridiculously new.
So any advise from you lot would be great, plus I now have to try and figure out how the hell I use this tacho card thing■■?
Well done - nice one! I know the feeling - driving an artic solo for first time this week. Slow and steady I guess!
Regarding tacho - try this recent post and answers Modes on digi tacograph - NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE) - Trucknet UK
Whitey2104:
As a very newly qualified class one and class two driver I have just been to two haulage yards and have been offered work with both, My situation is a bit different from most as I am a retired Prison Officer so have a pension to live of hence I have only been looking for temporary/relief work, The first Company is mainly tippers both rigid and artic and they have taken my details now I have my MPQC and have stated that I am exactly what they are looking for. So off I went to the second company which do predominantly Pallet ex stuff on everything from 7.5ton up to artic’s again a relief driver is just what they want so they don’t have to bother with agencies.
Anyway cut to the chase and I am working Thursday and Friday driving an 18ton rigid on £8.25hr. I have been told that the 18ton wagons go mainly to industrial estates so hopefully no complicated stuff.
Anyway I have butterflies again, other than my test I can’t remember the last time I felt like this. I have also just gone and bought a pair of work boots that look ridiculously new.
So any advise from you lot would be great, plus I now have to try and figure out how the hell I use this tacho card thing■■?
All the best ,hope everything goes well , I’m sure the more experienced members will be along shortly with advice , as I’m just a newbie myself , very well done in the clean sheet fella , all the best keep us posted in how you get on , I’m sure you’ll be fine regards Tom
Above all,take your time and relax.You may get “It has to be there by such a time”.
When you have driven like Jensen Button to get there on time, the client says get here when you can.
A good truck sat nav is ideal for weight limits.
I would not use a car sat nav.
Hi, good luck with your first day driving . I found the below link very useful for understanding Digi card operation, download the simulators, they are great for playing about and learning how they work.
Evening gents.
Well done on getting jobs first thing to remember is dont rush and take your time its not a race, if in doubt get out and have a look work out what needs to be done and if you hold cars up its tough luck, if in doubt ask someone if your unsure about anything.if I get to a shop and im not sure I will ring theshop to be sure.
Tried to clever one day drove down a road to find it was a dead end ended up in a whole mess of trouble reversing onto a dual carriageway at rush hour.
The digi simulator is brilliant for learning in, I write down start time when my break should be how much driving time I have used for a quick reference its easier than trying to remember everything.
Brilliant news! This is where it’s important to remember the stuff we taught you. It was all to do with proper driving and it was clearly good enough to fly through 2 tests. Stick to what you were taught and you’ll be fine.
Others have given you help with the digitach and I understand you’re booked on a cpc course with us for tacho so it will be well sorted then.
In the meantime, if you have any problems with it, just give me a call and I’ll talk you through it.
This is what your efforts were for - all you have to do now is to enjoy it.
All the best, Pete 
If there is a contact number on the delivery notes,be warned,it may say ring an hour away.
This may mean narrow access and Farmer Giles will say he gets artics down the lane all the time.
His idea of an artic was a Ford Transit van towing a trailer.
House residents will say the bin truck gets down ok and the milk tanker.
If in doubt,lock the cab.Get out and walk down to see if it is ok to get in and out with a place to turn around.
If your worried about your hours , mulitdrop can catch u out sometimes as you can end up doing a full day without going over your 4 1/2 drive time so when I do mulitdrop I always take a 15 min break a couple of hours in to keep in with wtd then dont have to worry and can take my 30 when need to,
good luck
I’m a new article driver.
One word of advice I’d give is don’t rely solely on a satnav make sure you have a Phillips Navigator road atlas for the UK or certainly an edition relevant to the areas you’ll be driving. Invaluable!
maneman:
I’m a new article driver.
I suspect you have an iPhone too 
It’s auto correcting drives me nuts, the other day kept changing “diagram” to “anagram” in a text I sent confusing the other party no end
th2013:
maneman:
I’m a new article driver.I suspect you have an iPhone too
Do have an iphone but that was done on an ipad LOL.