Hi guys. I’m just new to the forum so a big hello to you all. I work for Royal Mail as a postman. I’ve been working as a postie for 10 years. I’ve recently passed my class 1 C+E which I funded myself. There has just been a recruitment drive called the driver career path which was initially intended for Royal Mail class 2 drivers to be trained to class 1. Now as I’ve already got class 1 i took the chance and applied for the job. I now have a interview tomorrow morning. Has anyone here done the interview for driving with RM before? If so could you give me a heads up on the process?
Your a lucky man, industry leading pay & conditions wearing the red uniform. Don’t think you’ll find too many outsiders who will have got to a driving interview with them, the way in for most is by a long stint on agency.
rob22888:
Your a lucky man, industry leading pay & conditions wearing the red uniform. Don’t think you’ll find too many outsiders who will have got to a driving interview with them, the way in for most is by a long stint on agency.
Suddenly the 10 year old wagon seems a bit frivolous PaulNowak
Make sure you know your driving hours regs and most of the SSOW for loading and strapping of Yorks.
They will ask you about vehicle checks and almost anything else you can think of.
Your biggest advantage is you’re already an employee - as said long stint on agency is the usual way.
Take your time on the assessment. Most of the driver coaches are long serving staff and would have started out as postman so they’re just like you.
Good luck.
Don’t mount any pavements/kerbs on the driving assessment, and as said above ^^^^ make sure you know the drivers hours regs, and don’t ever seen to be taking a cavalier attitude towards them.
I worked on the TPO before I got my car licence, then drove the minibus & sherpa vans for six months, 600s for 18 months, then got my class one (taken in my own time) and never looked back.
Spent the first six years as a “floater” before I got my own 318 to sign into - but I didn’t care, as the “cover” work was plentiful thoughout the 90’s in my case.
It’s better as a “full timer rising” I reckon, as if you’re on agency - you might be shown the door for dropping the ball once otherwise.
Passed my test one one of these model renaults that Clarkson painted black…
The first RM tractor I drove was a Chieftan for my assessment (brown velvet seats, crash gear box, arms like popeye to steer it) and then a brand new Leyland Roadtrain for my first actual “cover job”
Nowdays it’ll more likely be DAFs with late naughties plates…
Ok so I just had my interview. It went ok’ish. I think they may be wanting someone who is working on the class 2 at the moment though as the manager kept saying if you aren’t successful this time please do keep trying. He also said there’s a few from the class 2’s already working there are going for it as well. So maybe I’m just being pessimistic but I think it’ll be kept in house for one of the “boys” I didn’t do an assessment either only a interview.
A bit late now I know, but I’d have asked him of the possibility of going on the class 2’s if I wasn’t what they were looking for on the Class 1 yet.
If like you say they are particularly interested in a Class 2 driver which makes perfect sense as it isn’t as big a leap as some may think to go from driving a Class 2 to a Class 1 (C to C+E in new money) then there is likely to be a Class 2 vacancy arising shortly and it would have shown commitment to both your cause and the company if you’d have been prepared to take a step back.
And of course if you’d have got in on the Class 2’s you’d be one of the “inside Boys” but with a C+E already when the next Class 1 job came up.
As Reef said if they should offer you a class 2 job, take it. I went through the same career path, once you are in there will be opportunities if you have class 1 to cover leave and sick. The union want Royal Mail staff to be used before any agency, that’s why the career path was put in place. Also every 12-18 months there is a network review and each office will have a resign of jobs, so if you have a bit of seniority behind you you will be able to pick a class 1 job then, you just need to sit tight.
Royal Mail paid for my licence, I went from 7.5t to class 1, the only time I drove class 2 was to pass my test. It’s a good job, a great opportunity and they throw money at you. Push for it, happy days.
Mr Bridger:
As Reef said if they should offer you a class 2 job, take it. I went through the same career path, once you are in there will be opportunities if you have class 1 to cover leave and sick. The union want Royal Mail staff to be used before any agency, that’s why the career path was put in place. Also every 12-18 months there is a network review and each office will have a resign of jobs, so if you have a bit of seniority behind you you will be able to pick a class 1 job then, you just need to sit tight.
Royal Mail paid for my licence, I went from 7.5t to class 1, the only time I drove class 2 was to pass my test. It’s a good job, a great opportunity and they throw money at you. Push for it, happy days.
Thanks for the replies guys. I do know they have a table on which they should pick from most suitable first being c+e with CPC then c+e without CPC and so on. I would take the job as c if it did go that way. I have no experience on the c+e or c as I’ve only recently passed so that may be another issue.
Also remember that Logistics (HGV) and Distribution (7.5t) are merging (have heard a date of around Sep 5th - but only from another driver)
The result is that a lot of the 7.5 drivers are getting EVR or they’re going to be driving class 2’s.
Which VOC/Mail Centre is it for as we don’t have any class 2 only duties.
Could it be that you’ve applied to fill one of the new roles generated by this merger? Sadly I’d imagine that existing displaced 7.5 drivers who have been trained to class 2 paid for by RM may get priority over you. I am surprised they didn’t take you on an assessment drive.
m1cks:
Also remember that Logistics (HGV) and Distribution (7.5t) are merging (have heard a date of around Sep 5th - but only from another driver)
The result is that a lot of the 7.5 drivers are getting EVR or they’re going to be driving class 2’s.
Which VOC/Mail Centre is it for as we don’t have any class 2 only duties.
Could it be that you’ve applied to fill one of the new roles generated by this merger? Sadly I’d imagine that existing displaced 7.5 drivers who have been trained to class 2 paid for by RM may get priority over you. I am surprised they didn’t take you on an assessment drive.
Yeah they told me today about the merge. I don’t think it’s affecting the Royal Mail drivers it will be more agency staff being turned away.
