Hi all, after a bit of advice if possible:
I gave up lorry driving many years ago for a career in the ambulance service. I hold a class 2 and did plenty of agency work, but haven’t driven a lorry in about 5 years.
I would like to do some part time work, preferably nights/lates for extra pocket money. Do you think I’ll have difficulty finding agencies to offer me work considering how long ive been out of the game. I hold advanced/ emergency driving qualifications, would they perhaps look on this favourably?
Also, I used to use nova for my pay. I don’t believe this sort of system runs anymore?
Toploadertom:
haven’t driven a lorry in about 5 years
It might be an idea to book a couple of afternoons with your local training school, to get your eye back in and your driving back to the standard it was five years ago.
That’s a long time to be away from large vehicles, but nothing a few refresher drives won’t fix.
So when the agency asks when you last drove, you’ll be able to say with your hand on your heart “last week!”
It might also be worth asking if the agency will do free CPC training.
I wish you all the best in your return to the world of trucking!
Nova is still around. I would do my best to let them think I’d been driving trucks very recently…
Check what the situation is by making an anonymous phone call to any agency you’re interested in then take it from there. Not all of them will be bothered.
Toploadertom:
Hi all, after a bit of advice if possible:
I gave up lorry driving many years ago for a career in the ambulance service. I hold a class 2 and did plenty of agency work, but haven’t driven a lorry in about 5 years.
I would like to do some part time work, preferably nights/lates for extra pocket money. Do you think I’ll have difficulty finding agencies to offer me work considering how long ive been out of the game. I hold advanced/ emergency driving qualifications, would they perhaps look on this favourably?
Also, I used to use nova for my pay. I don’t believe this sort of system runs anymore?
Any help and advice gratefully received!
Cheers
Have you contacted any local companies, some are happy to employ casual drivers for weekends/odd hours. This enables their regular drivers to take their weekly rest etc.
I have done this and had no problems. The advantages are that you are accepted as a fellow employee, you get to know how things work and you are on the payroll so tax etc should be ok.
The first time I did it I told the man interviewing me that although I had held a class one for seventeen years, I had never driven a 38 tonne artic. He was quite happy with this and after an assessment I went on to work for them for five years. The second time I hadn’t driven for seven years and again that caused no problems.
Toploadertom:
Hi all, after a bit of advice if possible:
I gave up lorry driving many years ago for a career in the ambulance service. I hold a class 2 and did plenty of agency work, but haven’t driven a lorry in about 5 years.
I would like to do some part time work, preferably nights/lates for extra pocket money. Do you think I’ll have difficulty finding agencies to offer me work considering how long ive been out of the game. I hold advanced/ emergency driving qualifications, would they perhaps look on this favourably?
Also, I used to use nova for my pay. I don’t believe this sort of system runs anymore?
Any help and advice gratefully received!
Cheers
they might not play with you as you already have a job
What shifts are you looking at working ?
If you are already working fulltime you will need to remember to have at least 9 hours rest from when you last worked on the ambulances and if you are working 5 days a week in your fulltime job you can only work either a Saturday or Sunday every other weekend.
In reallity you can only work 1 day a fortnight if you are already working 5 days a week at the moment.
Paul:
What shifts are you looking at working ?
If you are already working fulltime you will need to remember to have at least 9 hours rest from when you last worked on the ambulances and if you are working 5 days a week in your fulltime job you can only work either a Saturday or Sunday every other weekend.
In reallity you can only work 1 day a fortnight if you are already working 5 days a week at the moment.
Paul
I only work 3/4 shifts a week as I do 12hr shifts. Also I thought ambulance driving was exempt as its emergency services? All of our ambos are over 3.5t but none have a tacho
Paul:
What shifts are you looking at working ?
If you are already working fulltime you will need to remember to have at least 9 hours rest from when you last worked on the ambulances and if you are working 5 days a week in your fulltime job you can only work either a Saturday or Sunday every other weekend.
In reallity you can only work 1 day a fortnight if you are already working 5 days a week at the moment.
Paul
I only work 3/4 shifts a week as I do 12hr shifts. Also I thought ambulance driving was exempt as its emergency services? All of our ambos are over 3.5t but none have a tacho
They are exempt, but has you already have a job, it will be classed as ‘other work’, but i stand to be corrected. I am like you i am thinking about doing the same thing but with working with the police they are strict with having 11 off before the next shift
Hi mate,
I’m a full time firefighter and I don’t have any problems doing a bit of casual work for a local firm. Stick at it and you’ll soon pick something up.
It does not matter what other work you are doing. If you are working (paid) then as said earlier that will be classed as other work and the daily/weekly rest periods must be adhered too.
There was a company who got done a few years ago for employing firefighters at weekends who where working 5 days then working the other 2 days as drivers. Even if you only put a tachodisc for card in for one days work in a week you are still under tacho rules for that week, the other job you do will be classed as other work.
