Hi folks, im a bit of a newbie and Im just about to book my medical and training. Ive always wanted to drive trucks as my dad has always done it and Ive always enjoyed travelling with him coupled with a enjoyment of driving anything. Im finally in a position to do it but am now apprehensive as ive heard lots of horror stories about when i pass my licence i.e. no jobs except limited agency work for new drivers until ive held a licence for two years. Im currently in full time employment which im not fond of but its guarenteed money. Im worried as giving up full time work for a maybe when I have three kids at home isnt smart. Ive spoken to the instructor where im going to do my training and he assures me that this is not the case and companies overlook the two year rule but im still not convinced. Please folks, advice wanted 
thank you.
If its what you really want to do, and you can afford, take your test anyway.
Unless you lose your licence or have a medical problem, they can’t take it away from you.
Some folk want you to have driven HGVs for 2 years, others just have an insurance stipulation that you must have held the licence for 2 years.
Get it done and your 2 year clock will have started.
Or maybe just do an assessment drive, you might hate it.
bigchris55:
Hi folks, im a bit of a newbie and Im just about to book my medical and training. Ive always wanted to drive trucks as my dad has always done it and Ive always enjoyed travelling with him coupled with a enjoyment of driving anything. Im finally in a position to do it but am now apprehensive as ive heard lots of horror stories about when i pass my licence i.e. no jobs except limited agency work for new drivers until ive held a licence for two years. Im currently in full time employment which im not fond of but its guarenteed money. Im worried as giving up full time work for a maybe when I have three kids at home isnt smart. Ive spoken to the instructor where im going to do my training and he assures me that this is not the case and companies overlook the two year rule but im still not convinced. Please folks, advice wanted
No vested interest there then…
You’re about right with “no jobs except limited agency work”. Some newbies get lucky and get a start somewhere but most do struggle for work. Not a gamble I’d be taking with a family and 3 kids, that’s for sure.
The work is out there but you will have to go knocking on doors and accepting knockbacks to get you there. Does your Dad not have any contacts that could get you a foot in the door?
If you have the finances behind you (2.5K from medical to a CE test) and you know that’s what you want to do, then go for it.
I wish you the best of luck.
Thanks for replying guys, its definately what I want to do, Ive been backing my dads truck around his yard for years and have driven an artic that a friend of my dad owns and iI really enjoy driving anything in all honesty. Sadly my dad doesnt have contacts as such as he is self employed and only has the one truck. Ive got the money to pass my test and i 100% dont mind getting out and about to find work. If I pass my licence and didnt get the work, after two years of holding it will i find it easier to get a job or does it have to be two years of driving experience? Its a bit of a catch 22? I have seen firms that will take on new drivers that are close to me but they are limited. 
For a trainer to say that companies ignore the 2 year rule is irresponsible. BUT, it’s getting easier for newbies (of any age) to get a start provided they persist with banging on doors.
It is, however, perfectly true that some companies will overlook their 2 year rule if sufficiently impressed with the candidate. But it’s certainly not something to be taken for granted.
Pete 
bigchris55:
after two years of holding it will i find it easier to get a job or does it have to be two years of driving experience?As said above the insurance part is usually just being held for two years but some employers will want recent experience although it may be less than two years.
My advice is to ignore the “2yr” requirement and always apply. I have plenty of evidence that the rule can suddenly disappear when the right candidate is in front of the TM. Frequently the company will have to stand a bigger excess and sometimes an increase in premium. But if the company has to pay another £1000 for a new driver on the insurance (and they wont) then that represents £20 per week. Can we not see the scope for negotiation?
I suppose I am saying “dont take no for an answer”. Always try to find a way around the obstruction. And dont give in.
Pete
For the record, I took a job driving vans, and doing the odd 7.5 run. Even before I’d taken that, my mind was made up that I wanted to do my HGV tests, TM even told me he’d got more than enough drivers on them, but I wanted to have my foot in the door.
The Renault vans were too small for my frame, didn’t mind the work, but it was crippling me to drive the vans. So I had a bit of a moan and groan, until I got my own 7.5, telling them that it could only help towards my class 2.
Which I passed first time.
Was less than 3 weeks I think, before they sent me into London in a rigid.
Not sure where about’s you live but I saw advert recently ADR network saying train with us and we will guarantee you a job.
That is a crock of ■■■■■■
If it was legit, it’d say come work for us and we’ll train you
ADR Network is approved by the joint approvals unit for periodic training (JAUPT).
I can’t see them on the JAUPT list - maybe I’m missing something. They say that Coates does cpc for them and they certainly are approved.
But these innacurracies always concern me. If that’s wrong, what else is?
Pete
dc2010:
Not sure where about’s you live but I saw advert recently ADR network saying train with us and we will guarantee you a job.
These only claim to guarantee you work if you have had you class 2 for 2 years and pay £1200 for their training and test with them.
I had my class 2 for about 6 years when i saw the advert for this, so I decided to try it. The £1200 is slightly more than I could of got it elsewhere, but not a huge difference.
I am still waiting for some of the promises to materialise before i make a final judgement on their claims, but it is getting closer to the point where I start to give up on some of the claims.
I will give it another week or so and then will give my full findings on this forum.
If someone is considering taking them up in the meantime then I will gladly discus my experience of them so far.
Hi there Chris!
Welcome onto the forum.
First off, make sure you use a proper training school and not a broker. Go and have a free assessment drive with them to try them out and ask plenty of questions. Get the full costs laid out first, including all VAT and costs of any DCPC needed. Don’t worry too much about the 2 year thing. I see many newbies on here who with some perseverance have secured a job within a month or two and even sooner in some cases. It’s all a case of being in the right place at the right time, and if you get yourself about, you have a greater chance of being that person in the right place at the right time. Plus, as others have said, the sooner you get the licence the better it will look in the future. You can always ‘stretch out’ any little jobs you get to do in order to make the cv look a bit more impressive, as long as you don’t tell out right lies. Which of course, none of ever do!
Good Luck with it mate, and don’t forget a training diary when the time arrives. 
NeillG:
dc2010:
Not sure where about’s you live but I saw advert recently ADR network saying train with us and we will guarantee you a job.These only claim to guarantee you work if you have had you class 2 for 2 years and pay £1200 for their training and test with them.
I had my class 2 for about 6 years when i saw the advert for this, so I decided to try it. The £1200 is slightly more than I could of got it elsewhere, but not a huge difference.
I am still waiting for some of the promises to materialise before i make a final judgement on their claims, but it is getting closer to the point where I start to give up on some of the claims.
I will give it another week or so and then will give my full findings on this forum.
If someone is considering taking them up in the meantime then I will gladly discus my experience of them so far.
Worth a try if your looking to pass your class 1 and need work 
Worth a try if your looking to pass your class 1 and need work
[/quote]
Only if the work you are getting from them is class 1 work, otherwise may as well save the ££££’s and carry on as a class 2 driver, or pass with someone cheaper and carry on the class 2 work while you look around for work.
Don’t get me wrong, the offer is a good one if everything promised is delivered, but if everything isn’t then there are better alternatives out there.