MAKE SURE U CHECK THE DELIVERY NOTE ADDRESS !! SOME WHAT U MAY HURRIEDLY THINK IS THE DELIVERY ADDRESS IS THE INVOICING ADDRESS!!! I"VE MADE THAT MISTAKE !!! AND THE CO."S PHONE NO IS A PLUS! ASSUME U KNOW ALL THIS BY NOW, ANYONE ELSE ?>GOOD GLOVES(2 PAIR) STEEL TOED BOOTS > BEING AN OLD GUY , AND SUSPICIOUS OF “NEW"TEC. I ALWAYS USE MAPSI"M SURE A LOT OF DRIVERS HAVE HEARD FROM THE SAT NAV"U HAVE ARRIVED” AND YOU IMMEDIATELY KNOW"OH NO WE Bl***DY WELL HAVEN"T !!
Hi,
Recently passed my Class 2 and finally got my digi tacho card today so am now planning to register with agencies this week in the hope of work (though given what I’ve read on here am expecting vans/7.5 ton to start with).
My question is do the majority of companies expect agency drivers to provide their own sat navs/maps of the UK or will they provide print outs of google map directions or something similar? I’d be ok in most of Kent as I have a book of the area already but am thinking if I got sent anywhere else in the country I could be a bit stuck but at the same time don’t necessarily want to splash out on maps on the off chance of needing them.
Is it unrealistic to think that the depot/company I’d be sent to would provide directions to the destination? (mainly for the final bit of the journey to find the actual address once at the town/city)?
Or do most drivers have their own sat navs?
If so, having never felt the need for one before, can anyone recommend a good make/model?
I have the hi viz vest, steel toe cap boots, gloves & phone charger. Anything else I should be thinking of getting so I am ready to go? 
Cheers
Expect nothing and maybe you’ll get a nice surprise. Not many are providing sat navs. Some will provide a print off of the directions to a particular destination - especially the case for regular drops/collections.
I would suggest you buy a Trucker’s map showing height restrictions. Wont cost you a fortune and will save loads of hassle potentially.
Another good source of info is other drivers in the depot if it’s a regular destination.
If you know the destination in advance, use Google Earth and something like AA routefinder or Multimap. But watch the low bridges if you do this.
A decent map is part of the professional drivers’ gear and a fine investment.
All the best with it, Pete 
Thanks for that.
I use Multimap all the time when going somewhere unfamiliar already but I’m guessing when doing ad-hoc work it’ll be too late for that option.
Will take a look at the Truckers maps though. Then it’s just the smaller details once off the main roads to find the actual address. In the past (before the internet) I have nipped into garages/motorway services with shops and looked places up on the local map books they sell and generally been ok jotting down a few swift directions! 
Get yourself a hard hat and a hi viz waterproof coat, some smart workwear and you’ll be pretty much sorted. Takes peter advice “expect nothing”, assume that and you’ll be very prepared. Theres a thread in this section about what a driver should keep in his bag, you’ll find most of what you should carry in that.
With regards to a sat nav, i’m not a supporter of them but they are a useful tool when combined with a map and common sense. You could well find that some of the places you visit wont show up on gps and the only way to get there is with the use of a map.
Good luck.
I wouldnt expect to recieve a sat nav but they may well give you a print out of the destination.
If in doubt ask before you leave, they will, im sure, print you something off.
You can buy a basic sat nav for £60 odd but obviously they dont have bridge heights or weight limits on.
I use my phone, it has google maps on so its quite handy. But certainly buy a truckers map with heights and weight limits on and you will be fine 
Thank guys.
I’m old school and have always been fine using maps so have never been a fan of sat navs though can see they have their uses. So long as not depended on!
I never even thought of companies providing them that’s why I wondered about getting one when it comes to needing street level directions as opposed to the trunk roads.
I’ve found the latest AA Close Up Truckers Atlas Britain (30.4.09) on Amazon for £10 which is the best price I can find and seems well reviewed so I’ve ordered that.
Never thought of a hard hat Saaamon so cheers for that. Have already got a hi-viz coat which is handy.
Cheers
If you’re planning on doing agency work I’d combine the Truckers atlas with a sat nav. I like maps but it gets a bit expensive buying a new one for every new county you deliver to. Time is money and failed deliveries don’t get you any more work!
I’ve been doing agency work for a month now and worked for about five different clients, None provided anything other than the delivery notes and in some cases, the postcode was wrong and even the company name had long-since changed.
Even if it’s a job for the same company, you seldom know where you are going until you walk in the yard.
Like you, before satnav and trucking, I used to print off a couple of Multimap pages at different scales, but as I say, you seldom have the luxury on knowing where you are going.
I use my own satnav all the time, but check the route on a map also and use the satnav for the final approach.
I also bought the AA Close-up atlas and though excellent, it’s too damned big (A3 format) to fit in my cab bag (a small backpack). The Phillips (A4) seems to be the best but I think it’s out of print (in between revisions) at the moment as it was out of stock at Amazon last time I looked. Each time I’m in a MSA I check the shops but haven’t found one yet.
I wouldn’t expect maps, satnavs or googled directions. You are a lorry driver, you need to learn the geography and road networks, the problem with a satnav is that it will take you exactly to the spot but you cannot beat planning the route on a map first.
I also wouldn’t buy hard hats or hiviz vests, they want me to wear one, they get me one 
Otherwise you will have the situation where “you cant come in here with a red hat mate, they are for managers” while the site next door only allow blue hats.
Wheel Nut:
I wouldn’t expect maps, satnavs or googled directions. You are a lorry driver, you need to learn the geography and road networks, the problem with a satnav is that it will take you exactly to the spot but you cannot beat planning the route on a map first.I also wouldn’t buy hard hats or hiviz vests, they want me to wear one, they get me one
If someone takes exception to the colour of your PPE just ask them to put that as the reason why they are refusing the delivery.
Edit to add: You should buy a hard hat for yourself. There can be personal health/hygiene implications in using a hard hat that’s been used by gawd knows who! They’re cheap enough…
44 Tonne Ton:
Wheel Nut:
I wouldn’t expect maps, satnavs or googled directions. You are a lorry driver, you need to learn the geography and road networks, the problem with a satnav is that it will take you exactly to the spot but you cannot beat planning the route on a map first.I also wouldn’t buy hard hats or hiviz vests, they want me to wear one, they get me one
If someone takes exception to the colour of your PPE just ask them to put that as the reason why they are refusing the delivery.
Edit to add: You should buy a hard hat for yourself. There can be personal health/hygiene implications in using a hard hat that’s been used by gawd knows who! They’re cheap enough…
Edit to add: The company should buy you a hard hat. There can be personal health/hygiene implications in using a hard hat that’s been used by gawd knows who! They’re cheap enough…
I wouldn’t expect maps, satnavs or googled directions. You are a lorry driver, you need to learn the geography and road networks,
That’s all very well and I’ve no problem navigating from one town to another but knowing the road layout within any given town is a big ask and I seriously doubt anyone has a cabbies knowledge of all of the UK sufficient to find a specific street in a previously unvisited town/city without some help.
Think a sat nav with some common sense and sign reading would be useful for the last bit of the journey to unfamiliar areas.
Wheel Nut:
44 Tonne Ton:
Wheel Nut:
I wouldn’t expect maps, satnavs or googled directions. You are a lorry driver, you need to learn the geography and road networks, the problem with a satnav is that it will take you exactly to the spot but you cannot beat planning the route on a map first.I also wouldn’t buy hard hats or hiviz vests, they want me to wear one, they get me one
If someone takes exception to the colour of your PPE just ask them to put that as the reason why they are refusing the delivery.
Edit to add: You should buy a hard hat for yourself. There can be personal health/hygiene implications in using a hard hat that’s been used by gawd knows who! They’re cheap enough…
Edit to add: The company should buy you a hard hat. There can be personal health/hygiene implications in using a hard hat that’s been used by gawd knows who! They’re cheap enough…
I wish him luck in getting one from an agency!
bachippy:
I wouldn’t expect maps, satnavs or googled directions. You are a lorry driver, you need to learn the geography and road networks,
That’s all very well and I’ve no problem navigating from one town to another but knowing the road layout within any given town is a big ask and I seriously doubt anyone has a cabbies knowledge of all of the UK sufficient to find a specific street in a previously unvisited town/city without some help.
Think a sat nav with some common sense and sign reading would be useful for the last bit of the journey to unfamiliar areas.
Which was why I put in that, “a satnav will take you exactly to the spot,” but you selectively misquoted me.
A sat nav will only show you one route at a time, and the route you are on.
But with a map, you can choose many different routes from A - B
On a slightly off topic but on similar lines.
I often get into lorries with aux sockets that are too small for my sat nav plug. Are there adapters that can be purchased to accomodate the ‘standard’ size.
I recently bought a TomTom 7000 Truck sat nav with great results, but cannot always use it as some trucks only haver the smaller connections.
Dean
You can get adapters for these as well as phones
I have recently purchased a sat nav ( was using my dad as he dont need it now ) also have a map with me in my bag I also watch the road & sign’s as I was doing this long before sat navs & google maps or most others had to rely on either buying maps or asking the locals / postperson in a garage where there is normally an A-Z so you can look
Wheel Nut:
bachippy:
I wouldn’t expect maps, satnavs or googled directions. You are a lorry driver, you need to learn the geography and road networks,
That’s all very well and I’ve no problem navigating from one town to another but knowing the road layout within any given town is a big ask and I seriously doubt anyone has a cabbies knowledge of all of the UK sufficient to find a specific street in a previously unvisited town/city without some help.
Think a sat nav with some common sense and sign reading would be useful for the last bit of the journey to unfamiliar areas.Which was why I put in that, “a satnav will take you exactly to the spot,” but you selectively misquoted me.
No offence intended
dar1976:
On a slightly off topic but on similar lines.I often get into lorries with aux sockets that are too small for my sat nav plug. Are there adapters that can be purchased to accomodate the ‘standard’ size.
I recently bought a TomTom 7000 Truck sat nav with great results, but cannot always use it as some trucks only haver the smaller connections.
Dean
yea u can get the adaptors i bought one due to the amount of cig lighter sockets bein taken out of cabs i was using mine cost me 6 quid online but cant remember were failing that most decent truck stops sell such things
I wonder how some folks who have only got a satnav manage when they get in a truck with a knackered cig lighter socket. Do they go home again?