i think i’ve managed to find the hardest driving job going, the places you’re expected to fit the bloody thing is amazing…but i am assured that practise makes perfect n that i wont be doin the hard ones for a while…thank god!
drove for 1st time yesterday afternoon and again this afternoon and pleasantly surprised myself …considering i’ve only driven 3 hours earlier this year with my instuctor since passing 2 years ago. havent killed anyone or anything so far ha ha, even the reversing isnt too bad.
finding the tricky bit to be getting the skips on n off, 7 controls in a row with no identification on them is too much for my brain esp when up=down! luckily the lovely bloke who is showing me the ropes is very patient.
the cheek of it!
if i had some nails to varnish i dont think i’d still have them now ha ha. plus i dont think my trainer would appreciate me painting his truck pink…
JOJO:
the cheek of it!
if i had some nails to varnish i dont think i’d still have them now ha ha. plus i dont think my trainer would appreciate me painting his truck pink…
congrats on the job jo and glad to hear you’re doing OK.
i don’t think your gaffer would mind you writing on the controls. i guess he would rather you did that than park a skip on top of someones new car! (plus, how often does the gaffer actually inspect the trucks )
keep us all informed how its going
should you not be posting in the professional drivers bit now■■?
Haven’t done skips yet, but if my experience is anything to go by, fitting your motor into tight spaces will soon become second nature
I’ve only been in the game for 2 months, but I feel like I’m getting better by the day. No reason to think that the same won’t apply to you.
Don’t know the first thing about the levers on a skip, but if I was doing this I would have a play about with the handles (in a quiet, open space) to see what each one does. I would also listen to my trainer
Skip work, like what I’m mostly burdened with, namely multidrop, has a rep of being something of a dumping ground for newbie drivers. But it’s your initiation to the game, and hopefully your gateway to bigger and better things in the industry
If it’s a standard 4 wheeler wagon then they’ll pretty much get anywhere, you can always drag a skip out with the chains and shunt one back in by pushing it with the back of the motor.
Skip lorries are solid lumps and will not be damaged by an empty skip, often forklift drivers will let you drop the empty and will put it in place when you’ve taken the full one. Obviously this sort of thing is only do-able on commercial premises.
there isnt much time to play about with the controls … my trainer has got jobs to get done whilst teaching me n its rush rush rush, i hope the poor man gets paid well!
its his truck that i’m learning in …i’ll get my own if n when i’m good enough. n he’s said that all the trucks will be different regarding controls etc.
i think he forgets sometimes that i dont have a clue what i’m doin…he’s been doin it 14years so he can do it with his eyes closed. its the extending arms i’m having most trouble with n judging how high to put em to clear the back end, already been ‘told off’ for having the skip too high, maybe this coming week it’ll all come together though…fingers crossed.
the end of week 4!
since the beginning of week 2 my ‘trainers’ truck has been held hostage (to have an ‘easy sheet’ fitted) that was supposed to take 3 days n is now 3weeks and counting. so we have been on the 07 mini skip truck…not good news for me
been told today that from mon will be on a big un and have 3 days to getacquainted before i’m assessed on it! how fantastic, 3 weeks on the mini n now 3 days on the beast which app has temperamental gears. good luck to me!!! wouldnt be half as bad if it was just the driving i was being assessed on. lets have a nice game of hunt the skip on a building site!
Well JoJo it is well known that skip & recycling work is the ‘pitts’ and is usually seen as a starting point for new drivers but that shouldn’t be a reason take anything away from the skills that have to be learnt from doing what is a very difficult job. The more you learn from this job, like getting in to very awkward deliveries and having to shunt skips backwards and forwards just to satisfy a customers requirements, will stand you in good stead for the future and possibly bigger things to come. Just make the most of it and accept the mistakes that you might make but also remember to give yourself a pat on the back when you achieve something you felt you weren’t able to
Keep us all posted on how you progress, we all started somewhere and we all made mistakes and needed to learn a lot of the tricks of the trade from our older more experienced peers. I for one will always try to pass on tips, support and info; that might help you or any other NEW DRIVER in taking their driving career further
2 and a bit days on the big un was enough after all! was well scary but drove as i would normally and pulled it off…phew. then went out on my own for first time which went very smoothly, and i’m on my own from now on. was given a can of cockpit shine…what use that will be i dont know
my truck has horrific gears, doesnt like reverse 1st 2nd or 3rd esp in the middle of junctions etc and 2nd has to be held in so i’m getting to be quite an expert at right hand indicating ha ha. other than the gears its not too bad so hopefully it’ll be fun fun fun from now on…oh and some work too
…considering i’ve only driven 3 hours earlier this year with my instuctor since passing 2 years ago. havent killed anyone or anything so far ha ha, even the reversing isnt too bad.
)
of JOJO !