Passed my class 1 on Thursday July 23rd 2020.
Started a new job 10 days later on the Monday.
Was expecting to be given a ■■■■ battered truck to start, but nope, was given a nice truck. Trampers get looked after.
Extremely steep learning curve.
New to class 1. New to the type of work they do. New to all the different types of trailers they use.
Really grateful to my friend who got me in the door and my new bosses for giving me a chance.
Making the most of the opportunity and loving it.
Already had some nasty drops to do, with regards to tight spaces and tricky reverses.
The reversing is slowly coming along. The test manoeuvre in no way prepares you for the real world.
I’m doing my first 2 weeks as holiday cover in another guys truck, which is the sister truck to the one I’ve been allocated. I’m in that from next Monday, can get settled in that then, living out of carrier bags right now.
It sounds as though you have a sensible and positive attitude towards things. You’ll find yourself feeling even more settled once you’re in your own allocated truck. If you look after it and treat it with respect, get on with your tasks and show that you’re dependable and willing, I dare say it won’t be long before you’ll stand out as “one of the good ones”.
I don’t know how big the operator you work for are? My advice is to learn who the idiots and trouble makers are and give them a wide birth.
Safe trucking mate
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
This today.
The learning curve continues. 
trevorking1964:
This today.
The learning curve continues.
My My - what a long one you got 
Just starting to feel confident reversing, 14 months in.
This is a new challenge.
Finding it tough just going forwards. Roundabouts are a nightmare.
I’ve never been to this particular delivery point either…
ROG:
trevorking1964:
This today.
The learning curve continues.My My - what a long one you got
That’s what she said!
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself [emoji23]
Delivery done.
I made it harder work than it needed to be due to never having been before.
I know for next time. [emoji3]
trevorking1964:
Delivery done.
I made it harder work than it needed to be due to never having been before.
I know for next time. [emoji3]
What was your load mate?
And what was the weight of it??
Nice big load this will gain you so much experience than a lot off drivers have ever done.
Was rebar.
We do a lot of steel out of Cardiff.
Load was 25.5t. We are always right up around 44t, very rare to have a lighter load.
Got identical load for Monday again!
To ROM steel stockholders in Sheffield this time.
At least I’ve been to that drop a few times already. So at least I know what I’m doing there, helps a lot.
Steep learning curve most definitely, extended trailers and over hanging load.
Well, been over 5 years now.
Finally feel like I know what I’m doing. Still learning something new on a regular basis, every day is a school day.
Spent the last 3 years in a Scania V8.
Been replaced with a Mercedes Actros L for the new year. New last week.
Still living the dream and enjoying the job.
The Mercedes is amazing. The technology is brilliant. Getting used to the camera mirrors and they’re brilliant.
Really nice truck to spend your week in. Such an improvement over the Scania.
‘‘Amazing’’ aint the word I would use mate.
I can honestly say that I have never (including the 10 year period I suffered them) heard anybody else who actually likes those abortions …truthfully.
See above.
Wow man ! !..Got to say my ‘‘flabber’’ has never been so ‘‘gasted’’.
But as they say…‘‘Each to his own’’.
Definitely a much better truck. The Scania is overrated in my opinion.
The latest gen of Merc is all I’ve experienced, can’t comment on the older versions. Really nice so far, only done two weeks in it so far, but really enjoying it.
I agree Trev. The latest gen Mercs are a vast improvement on the older ones, I rate them and I only drove fleet ones. Some of the older gens I agree where shocking 
Scanias are overrated.
Ok, so maybe it’s me who is wrong after all.
The only time I have been in new gen Merc was a 15 mins shunting in the yard.
I hated those mirror cams though, just felt at the short time I was in it., rightly or wrongly, that it was just a higher tech version of another pile of Merc sh, but I had been influenced by the earlier model.
I had choice of new Merc or a 2 yr old Renault big cab, took the Renault and I love it.
Yep…never had the latest Scania, but oodles of experience in older models, always found Scanias a better build than most other trucks.
So in meantime I’ll maybe keep my gob shut and just enjoy my Renault.
(Edit…The promise to keep my gob shut may have been a bit hasty on reflection.
)
The mirrors take a while to get used to. I’m not there yet after two whole weeks.
I much prefer them though.
The only downside in use is loss of depth perception, the ability to move your head a little and get a slightly different view.
That is 1 downside though, versus many upsides. Never lose sight of your trailer, in forward or reverse, the amount of bend you can have on your trailer and still see it in the main mirror is amazing. Knowing precisely where the rear of your trailer is, especially for parking, is great. The active assist for when changing lanes, again great, the mirrors pop grids onto your view, including danger zone to make sure you know exactly where you are in relation to the traffic around you.
30, 50 and 100 metre markers on the mirrors at all times, both sides, to show how much room you have to the traffic behind you when changing lanes. You genuinely need no help from other drivers when changing lanes, which is so useful when you don’t get flashed in or out.
Blindside reverse is the same as a good side reverse now, as long as you can reverse on mirrors.
Finally, two weeks in and not had to clean the camera once, even though it’s pissed down several times. No vision issues in bad rain. Don’t have to look through a rain covered window to look in a rain covered mirror. Clear view all the time.
Forgot to mention earlier. My truck also has Matrix LED headlights, that technology is witchcraft. At night the truck puts full beam on and switches individual LEDs off as and when needed to not dazzle other drivers.
When overtaken by a car, you can actually see the headlights turn parts of its beam off and it creates a dead light spot around the car, you have to see it to believe it. Amazing.
With you on the LEDs, but my answer to your multi paragraph points about trying to ‘‘sell us’’ the mirrors is one word WHY?
Or to carry that sentence on…
Why do you NEED all that?
Is a mirror not enough for any driver who can drive?
If you are happy with all that unneccessary over engineered cack that you say has already taken you 2 weeks to master, crack on, …not for me though I manage quite well with a standard mirror, they take 2 mins to master, and if I break it 5mins to change a lens, you break one of those abortions and it’s VORd until Merc sends bits from ‘Der Fatherland’ a week later.
As 10cc said ‘‘Tech for tech’s sake’’.
Oh hang on that was ‘‘Art’’.…and I told you I wouldnt be able to kerp my gob shut.
Yep, kiss is good.
I do embrace technology in all its forms.
The mirrors are just different, hence needing getting used to.
I’m certainly not trying to convince or convert anyone.
Some lads at our place have said they’ll quit before driving a truck with camera mirrors. Each to their own I say.