I am a new driver with class 2 licence. I was looking at Tarmacs owner driver scheme but its seems a no go. I am now thinking of being independent. Is it difficult to get an operators licence? also how do I go about getting work? I am hopping to do tipper work. Also, would insurance be a problem as a new driver?
Your better of posting this on the owner driver forum…
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do yourself a favour and dont bother.or dont bother untll your well versed with experience after several years as you will be a lamb to the slaughter and itl end in financial tears…end of story,no more to see here,move along now,thread closed 
dieseldog999:
do yourself a favour and dont bother.or dont bother untll your well versed with experience after several years as you will be a lamb to the slaughter and itl end in financial tears…end of story,no more to see here,move along now,thread closed
P.S. Feel free to come back and ask that original question in two or three years time maybe. If you still want to.
As a new driver it doesnt matter so long as you get the right advice. Firstly you will need an operators CPC or know someone who will be your T/M very rare these days as the risks are great. So sit the exam yourself, then find out the price of the vehicle you want, the insurance and maintenance costs, and better still the rates for the work you want to do. Then if all is satisfied, apply for your operators licence, make sure you have sufficient funds, as vosa will want proof ( credit cards are ok if they have high limits ) i think £6000 is the average operating costs they will want. Could be less, could be more…
Be prepared to lose your marriage, your home, car and a decent bank balance, as a lot of operators pay monthly, so thats where the problems begin…if you have sufficient funds…you could be the next eddie stobbart. 
dave1174:
I am a new driver with class 2 licence. I was looking at Tarmacs owner driver scheme but its seems a no go. I am now thinking of being independent. Is it difficult to get an operators licence? also how do I go about getting work? I am hopping to do tipper work. Also, would insurance be a problem as a new driver?
I posted on this subject a few days ago,( Lafarge thread) read mine and other peoples comments, if your still interested good luck. (Your going to need it) Ps no malice intended here. Regards Kev.
Franglais:
dieseldog999:
do yourself a favour and dont bother.or dont bother untll your well versed with experience after several years as you will be a lamb to the slaughter and itl end in financial tears…end of story,no more to see here,move along now,thread closedP.S. Feel free to come back and ask that original question in two or three years time maybe. If you still want to.
+1
Owner driver…
If you are a newly qualified driver with zero experience you’re going to lose money at a rate you wouldn’t have believed was possible. Hell plenty of experienced drivers have gone owner driver and found it a hard slog.
dave1174:
I am a new driver with class 2 licence. I was looking at Tarmacs owner driver scheme but its seems a no go. I am now thinking of being independent. Is it difficult to get an operators licence? also how do I go about getting work? I am hopping to do tipper work. Also, would insurance be a problem as a new driver?
You will need to keep your feet on the ground if you are doing tipper work. Hopping is childish, and you may get ridiculed for it.
truckyboy:
As a new driver it doesnt matter so long as you get the right advice. Firstly you will need an operators CPC or know someone who will be your T/M very rare these days as the risks are great. So sit the exam yourself, then find out the price of the vehicle you want, the insurance and maintenance costs, and better still the rates for the work you want to do. Then if all is satisfied, apply for your operators licence, make sure you have sufficient funds, as vosa will want proof ( credit cards are ok if they have high limits ) i think £6000 is the average operating costs they will want. Could be less, could be more…
Be prepared to lose your marriage, your home, car and a decent bank balance, as a lot of operators pay monthly, so thats where the problems begin…if you have sufficient funds…you could be the next eddie stobbart.
I started as an owner driver in my mid twenties, green and naive. Started with a very used F7 from Leggets transport Woolpit and an even more used shagged tri axle but after a couple of years bought a lhd F10 and moved over to Spain doing long haul groupage all over Europe. Ive always run within my means buying good used trucks rather than new and although theres been ups and downs have for every year always made a profit. This year ill have my very first new truck but its taken this long before actually committing to a big investment im confident of affording. It can be done as Truckyboy here points out but it needs a lot of thought before taking the plunge, ive known several O/D’s who havent been as fortunate and as well as their marriage have lost their home too…
eagerbeaver:
dave1174:
I am a new driver with class 2 licence. I was looking at Tarmacs owner driver scheme but its seems a no go. I am now thinking of being independent. Is it difficult to get an operators licence? also how do I go about getting work? I am hopping to do tipper work. Also, would insurance be a problem as a new driver?You will need to keep your feet on the ground if you are doing tipper work. Hopping is childish, and you may get ridiculed for it.
If he wants to go agency, then that’s his choice!
Can’t stress enough that the OP needs to get a few years under his belt as an employed driver, learning the ropes, before he even thinks about putting his own truck on the road. There’s a living to be earned at it but no more, I enjoyed my stint as an owner driver but I very much doubt I would bother with it again.
Go work for someone who minimal trucks and learn the ropes, learn the basics about truck maintenance and learn how to change your own tyres… You can save alot of money!
I’d like to think I know enough from doing this… but would I really want the extra hassle… probably not! (Just my opinion)
I used to change my own tyres as an owner driver on European work.
Spare on the unit, spare on the trailer.
Two bottle jacks, scaffolding pole to loosen the wheel nuts .
It kept me fit in 45 degree summer heat, and quicker than calling out a fitter .
Back then, none of this Nanby Pamby health and safety bollags of shutting three lanes of a UK motorway because Doris can’t change a flat tyre in lane two and is petrified to get the Nissan Micra in to the hard shoulder .
Toby, you must have bought some right bloody naff tyres if you changed enough to keep you fit …