Well, I got my baptism of fire and survived.
A week ago today I answered an ad in my local paper for class 1 drivers. After being knocked back for not having the 2 years exp about 20 times a day for the last 6 weeks I was surprised when the chap on the other end of the phone said “no problem, I’ll find you work” and took my details. He told me he’d call me back and set up a meeting to register. I heard no more, nothing new there really. I’m a realist, I’ve got a new C+E licence and the industry is quiet at the moment.
Well tuesday morning at 0730 the phone rings. I’d been up since 5, despite being out of work I’m a creature of habit, I still get up early. The agency bod form last week is on the phone asking if I’m available there and then. (He’s never met me and hasn’t seen my licence but that’s by the by, someone at the firm I’m going to will check it, probrably)
Within the hour I’m standing in a haulage yard trying to find someone to tell me what’s the score, the place looks deserted. Then a mechanic appears, asks me if I’m the agency driver, then shows me to a rather elderly Scania unit (3 over 3 with split) that’s already coupled up to an even older looking curtainside trailer. No load on board and no paperwork. So I saddled up, filled my disc in, and did the walkround check. Checked the lot starting with the pin and climbed up and made sure all of the lines were secure. Checcked all lights, wipers, everything, then walked over to the gate and had a smoke. Mechanic appears with a sheet of paper with an address for the pick up and a list of phone numbers.
Off I go to load up. Now at this point as I pull out of the yard and onto a public road in an artic alone for the first time I confess I was cacking me pants. No bravado here, it was brown trouser time. Had a “play” with the gearbox, happily it performed exactly the same as the Volvo 3/3 split I passed my test in.
Got to the company I was loading at, took ten minutes to get it on the bay 
. Laughed it off with the warehouseman who didn’t seem bothered. Loaded up, headed out to a place just outside Norwich. More learning now, never opened a set of curtains before. Learned quickly, very quickly that if you do it wrong you collect bruises. Luckily there was no reversing here, just turn round at the top of the yard then wait your turn for the forklift man. First 19 pallets of “stuff” delivered with no dramas.
Called the office when empty, given a pick up address in Essex. Trundled over there, pulled up (no reversing here either) curtains open, 26 pallets on, curtains closed, away I go heading home.
Pulled back into the company yard just after 8pm and parked up. Been out just over 11 hours, spent 8hrs 50mins moving.
At that point I finally met a traffic office bod who checked my licence, a nice old chap who had been in the industry for years. Proper “old school” guy in a proper old school haulier. We had a chat, he’s asked me to go back and see him when he’s back in next week to get more work.
How did I feel after that day? Bloody incredible is how. I’m glad in a way I got an early phonecall and had to bolt out of the door, if I’d had the call the night before I probrably would have spent the night pacing the house.
So I got well and truly chucked in at the deep end, went in, got my head down, and just got on with it.
To all the new lads and lasses struggling for a start, keep going, you will get a break and a chance to prove yourself.
And the agency chap has been in touch, meeting up with him to sign up properly tomorrow. He’s the only agency bod so far who has actually delivered what he’s promised. It’s only one day’s work but it’s proof they’re not all pathalogical liars 
Looking forward to sitting my artic training and test though.
i too had to change my pants but after a couple of shunts i got there in the end … one place was realy tight so asked their shunter to pop it in and it took him two attempts 
