Hello all, passed my class 1 about 2 months agoand cant for the life of me get a job anywhere, most firms want 2 years experience for insurance purposes but a lot of the drivers i speak to at these firm have had theirs for not so long, sounds like a case of who you know gets ya foot in some of the bigger firms.
My question is, is there any senario where a HGV driver has held his license for longer than the date that is shown on the back of the card, IE issue date says mar 2014 but he has held it longer, so maybe the driver had his license revoked many years ago and had to take a re-test, or maybe he passed his test in another country and and moved back to the UK in MAR 2014.
I know this sounds a little moody, but my dad owned his own container firm many years ago, and at the age of 14 i was driving these big boys albeit shunting around a yard but i can move them about safely, ive got a licence i cant use as many agencies are now tellin me they want 2 years experience because they have put new drivers behind the wheel only to be stung for massive insurance payouts when they hit bridges or roll over on roundabouts, im stuck on a class 2 job with ■■■■ poor polish pay and just want to get out on the open road 
Sadly not a lot you can do in this situation, its horrible and most of us have been through it.
You need to go knocking on doors and sending cv’s out, keep pestering agencies - some will take you on. Also, September will be an interesting time for the industry and if as many people that have said they are giving it up, actually do then there is going to be a real shortage of agency bods.
You will find September to December, the 2 year rule gets swept under the carpet as agencies struggle for drivers due to the higher demand at this time of year.
My favourite quote in this situation is “How on earth am I supposed to gain 2 years experience if no-one will take me on until I have said experience?”
thanks , there aint many doors i aint knocked, even offered to work for free for a few days or just ride along with there drivers and maybe sneak a little go in under there supervision, as a way of getting my foot in the door that way, but still no takers (and all managers and TMS are meant to be money grabbers ), i know something will come along in the end but im depressed working for the wage im on, im going to throw my notice in tomorrow wether or not i got a new job or not, i dont mind grafting and i dont drag my feet, but i want paying a respectible wage for the privilege and the job im in some weeks works out about £6 and hour best being £6.70 one week 
, all the money spent on training and stress and hours and burger flippers are on more than me, im a good driver, observant and if treated right will give a 110% just need my lucky break and if that means tellin lies to get my foot in the door ill give it a go
Plugster:
Hello all, passed my class 1 about 2 months agoand cant for the life of me get a job anywhere, most firms want 2 years experience for insurance purposes but a lot of the drivers i speak to at these firm have had theirs for not so long, sounds like a case of who you know gets ya foot in some of the bigger firms.
My question is, is there any senario where a HGV driver has held his license for longer than the date that is shown on the back of the card, IE issue date says mar 2014 but he has held it longer, so maybe the driver had his license revoked many years ago and had to take a re-test, or maybe he passed his test in another country and and moved back to the UK in MAR 2014.
I know this sounds a little moody, but my dad owned his own container firm many years ago, and at the age of 14 i was driving these big boys albeit shunting around a yard but i can move them about safely, ive got a licence i cant use as many agencies are now tellin me they want 2 years experience because they have put new drivers behind the wheel only to be stung for massive insurance payouts when they hit bridges or roll over on roundabouts, im stuck on a class 2 job with ■■■■ poor polish pay and just want to get out on the open road
Stobarts will snap you up m8 if you live anywhere near there depots.
Stobarts will snap you up m8 if you live anywhere near there depots.
haha tried them got the cursory not accepted text try again in 3 months, i live about 12 miles from there widnes depot, being 35 i dont if that played a part as ive heard they like them young so they can mould them into the eddie ways
Plugster:
Stobarts will snap you up m8 if you live anywhere near there depots.
haha tried them got the cursory not accepted text try again in 3 months, i live about 12 miles from there widnes depot, being 35 i dont if that played a part as ive heard they like them young so they can mould them into the eddie ways
Sorry m8 i thought you was about 21 
Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do about your license issue date. you’ll have to struggle for work for the next couple of years (most of us have been there) but once they have passed you can make up that you’ve been driving class 1 for the last year or so and if you have a good boss and the firm you work for runs class 1 you might get a good reference with added bs.
That’s how i got my first job. 
those chinese versions u can get look the dogs dangleys they can put all my original details on them and just tweek the dates a little, was thinkin of using that to get me in the place then a week or 2 later give them my real one, with a photo change on maybe, hoping it might go under the radar
Not that it’s right but some people work for agencies for a couple of years but can’t get references because the agency has gone bust :cough cough:
You’re saying you want more pay on class 1 but you may be surprised that there isn’t as much of a pay hike as you may think.
Plugster:
those chinese versions u can get look the dogs dangleys they can put all my original details on them and just tweek the dates a little, was thinkin of using that to get me in the place then a week or 2 later give them my real one, with a photo change on maybe, hoping it might go under the radar
Bs is one thing fraud is another. If they take a copy and you get the job and they later find that the license is a fake, even though you actually have one you will end up in some deep ■■■■.
jobseeker:
Plugster:
those chinese versions u can get look the dogs dangleys they can put all my original details on them and just tweek the dates a little, was thinkin of using that to get me in the place then a week or 2 later give them my real one, with a photo change on maybe, hoping it might go under the radar
Bs is one thing fraud is another. If they take a copy and you get the job and they later find that the license is a fake, even though you actually have one you will end up in some deep [zb].
Exactly. Fraud can see you doing a bit more than the 2 years inside.
Any company or agency worth their salt will do a DVLA Check.
Plugster, STOBRATS pay £7.75 an hour 
£7.20 being a new boy 
There’s not much you can do but to keep trying and don’t give up. Keep checking the job pages, apply for everything and send fresh up to date CV’s to everyone. I was in the same boat as you 10 months ago (but didn’t have any HGV driving experience). I didn’t hear anything for months and was getting a bit desperate. I applied for everything, even got on to the yellow pages and found hauliers in my area who I’d never thought of and sent them emails/CV’s. You can get a good bit of response that way aswell as knocking on doors. In the end after months of trying I got a call off an agency offering me weekend RDC work with a haulier who would accept new drivers. I also got a call off Maxi Haulage (who then never got back to me) and I also got a call off Stobarts at Widnes. I persued the latter, gave it my best on the assessment and interview and the rest is history. I’m now in my first year driving, I can do things with the wagons and get them in places that I’d never though possible a year ago. Never looked back to be honest. A few months in I also got a call off Fowler Welch which I had to turn down (was tramping work).
Some may laugh but as a new driver fresh out the test centre I found Stobarts training and induction to be invaluable, taught me a lot about the simple basics of procedures/driver regs etc etc. On the induction I could see other experienced drivers getting a bit frustrated at being told how to do their job (and rightly so) but for me it was all new and dare I say informative. Plus on the Tesco contract it’s straight foward work, I’m home every night and don’t go anywhere near maxing my hours out. Happy days.
For now though, don’t give up, keep trying and be prepared to be patient. Have you tried broadening your search area? If it’s tramping your after then try looking even further afield. Keep on at the agencies, job pages, ask a driver next time your at a service station ask a driver if they have any jobs going etc etc. You’ll get there in the end, all you need is that first drive and the rest will come. Good luck!
Where you based, the company I work for just took a guy on who passed his test 3 weeks ago. And it ain’t a small company or a crap payer either.
Based in the northwest. Liverpool to be exact
Don`t know much about them, but Wiseman dairies are known for giving newbies a break?
I’d give up & look at something else, that’s just me though, good luck…
had a good look for wisseman dairies and all i can find is muller wiseman closest being trafford park park but with no vacancies ATM, ive been looking in to renting a unit, im a newbie i know but my dads got past experience in container workO/D so hes been giving me pointers(basically telling me to steer clear of it ), he got contacts in haulage but no one taking on at the minute, as the people he knows tend to keep hold of a good driver if they find one, i know im new and probably stupid for even thinking O/D might pay, but i put my back in to anything i do, and if it fail, at least i can go bang and start again some where
Are you willing to do nights out and willing to travel a few miles to get to work. ( 10-15 from Liverpool) ?