Interesting 
TJ82:
My uncle has been a lorry driver his whole life and I was chatting to him the other day about it. He mentioned that for some reason it is easier, note he said easier not a given , to get class 1 work as a new driver than it is for class 2. He couldn’t explain why it’s just what he has seen over the years through his many employers.
Funnily enough my uncle said the same. He said they like having class 1 drivers because they’re flexible.
His usual run is in a rigid, and all his collections are in the afternoon. So sometimes when he comes in they’ll give him an artic to do a quick run to another depot, then come back to do his usual run.
But if you’ve got a class 2 driver…
im thinking of putting up a bit of a diary on here showing what lengths i am going to to try and find work now i am qualified. i will skip all the class 2 stuff i have tried for because we would be here all night!
i find it very interesting reading peoples training diarys and it gave me quite a few tips so i am hoping to do the same here. could also alert some more qualified people to potential jobs (but only if i dont get them!!!)
we will start with today! the first day of proper job hunting since my test!
i woke up nice and late and not in the slightest bit prepared, but im only human.
try all the usual job web sites, all of which seem to repeat the same jobs over and over! and all of these jobs state quite clearly that 2 years is required.
eventually windle out a few and find the vast majority on the job centre web site!
i find 18 jobs in total that do not specify anything about experience and i phone each one. 16 of which turn out to demand experience anyway! thankyou very much
2 on the other hand seem very nice and approachable
job number one based in birmingham. – after a very long phone call i find out that the company has been flooded with applications, yet are willing to take on new drivers. in fact they appreciate new drivers.
i am refered to a online application form to fill out and return. done and done.
job number 2 based in redditch- the advert turns out to be a old advert but they are still more then happy to talk to me. i have a long chat about the transport field with the lady and she agrees that it all seems a bit rediculous. i am invited to see the big man at the site on saturday for a interview and a potential assesment drive!
this is the highlight of my day!
spurred on by a new enthusiasm for people. i head to eddie stobarts to respond to a local vacancy. 8 pages later and after telling them more things about my life then my own mother knows i have submitted. doubt i will hear back from that.
and my final application of the day from a word of mouth front. a company in evesham. not too far away. i phone up and they say they are more then willing to take on new drivers but they operate them on a weekend and odd day basis, very part time. during the busy salad season. this way they can give drivers experience and fulfill there quota. works for me!
so far in one day i have heard back from and had more potential good news, the in 4 months of searching for class 2 work. hopefully it will lead somewere. i will keep you updated as i am and reccomend anyone that is willing to help out
i done a similar thing to you a few years back but after phoning the companies & then went dressed in a smart suit with blouse to all the companies within a 50 mile radius of my house filled in applications, left Cv etc but have heard nowt back
but atm I am on the sick so not looking that hard due to the fact I am having test, Dr appointments & hospital appointments but hope to be back looking soon ( also gain my CE ) will have to see what happens there though
Was a nice read nowt wrong with putting it up as you say it might help others
My uncle has been a lorry driver his whole life and I was chatting to him the other day about it. He mentioned that for some reason it is easier, note he said easier not a given , to get class 1 work as a new driver than it is for class 2. He couldn’t explain why it’s just what he has seen over the years through his many employers.
I have yet to do my class 1, i commence training on 7th march with test on the 11th.
great thread, keep it up, It’ll be really useful.
I don’t know about you, but soon as I have my class 2, im sending out a pack containing;
- covering letter
- cv
- license photocopy/certificate
- references
all in a nice folder.
I’m going to send a bulk load out to any haulage company i can reasonably commute to. A bit of a blunderbuss approach, but this is, after all a numbers game. and then there are the agencies of course.
i found this site the other day that lists tons of haulage companies across the uk.
http://www.ukhaulier.co.uk/listCounties.asp?countryId=1
good luck with it mate, keep us posted
i did all that on class 2 also mate, i will make one recomendation though. may be me being very paranoid but DO NOT send a copy of your license etc! wait until its requested.
im sure it wouldnt happen but can imagine certain unscrupulous companies claiming all the benefits of an extra driver on the books who doesnt actually work for them or know that he is, if that makes sense. i wouldnt want anyone knowing my license details without entering in a contract with them first. might end up with penalty points i never got
you many have a point there fella, I just hope im one of the lucky ones who jumps straight into a job.
time will tell
I think its a great idea to do a diary , well heres my contruibution passed my cat c last friday morning . Rang about 6 agencies that pm , one was interested got to go and register when i get my license they are 35 miles away tho (not a problem if it leads to work)
Next i had a look on job centre website , one or two possibles . Most stated they wanted expereience .
Rang one of them a plant hire company , spoke to the guy who said the vacancy had been filled ,but to e mail my cv in as they often have vacancies ( maybe not such a good sign considering there a fairly small outfit 
)
That night i revamped my cv and composed a covering letter , e mailed if off the next morning .
Obtained some nice cream printer paper and printed off 30 cv’s /covering letters .Next step was to ring a local trans[port company . They said they didnt have any cat c vacancies at present but to collect an application form anyway .
Application form obtained , filled it in and stapled a cv /letter to it .
Took them in and had a good chat to the guy , handed over my cv . Turns out they are very busy ,pretty much offered me work there and then , i just need my liscence back from DVLA
So fingers crossed very soon ill be using that cat c liscence 
cheers Mike
)
i havent bothered with a cv to be honest as there is no driving relevance on it yet. i am aware that they may want to check my work history and that i can hold down a job for at least 6 months, but i prefer the method of writing a covering letter, straight to the point and hope for a phone call.
i can then chat about my situation or even go down to the yard and discuss with them.
i dont know, maybe i should send one off we will see how the job hunt goes.
as for my diary today. no real updates as such on the job front , nothing new advertised. although i am really annoyed at myself. a fairly local agencie is advertising a job and in there wording, it says may suit fresh driver or inexperienced. PERFECT. unfortunatelly it is with an agency i had a massive blow out with.
i got into an argument with the boss. he was a very stereotypical ex trucker. arms like tree’s, plaid shirt and yorkie bar in mouth. he looked at me and basically told me that people like me should not be driving as were all still wet behind the ears, i told him in no uncertain terms were he could park his rigid 6 wheeler. shame really
i am actually really looking forward to saturday and this interview / assesment drive. what worries me is the fact that they have a high turnover of staff and reputably bad jobs. still experience is experience and i have eaten spam out of the tin in a car park before so hey ho
todays update. or lack of it i should say.all the usual web sites are publishing the same old jobs from monday again today. i suppose it makes them look like new jobs just being posted. very dissapointing. i may broaden my horizons tomorow and start searching further afield
well i went for my little chat today at the local firm , and was quite suprised too see 2 agency drivers also there. (they were more suprised to see someone there not on a agency) filed out all the forms, all basic stuff, with a LOT of disclaimers. and then onto a walk around of the trucks, had a brief demo if the walking floor trailer, seemed fairly simple, push board back, clean out after and always walk it the right way or you will walk it out the front bulkhead.,
after that the moment i was dreading. test drive. luckily my cousin pulled up at that exact moment and he came out with the guy and me, just as a bit of support.
im suprised to find that the truck is an auto, and my god does it bog down. anyway we go on a short route dualy, single track, and narrow lanes. im told a lot of the work is down very narrow routes with trees as low as the front grill, nice,
after all that im told i did ok, so did a reversing excercise, i was ok with that also, bloody brilliant for the first time in a auto and artic. didnt help with one guy saying, right hand down the other saying left… i think they should of both looked in the same mirror .
looks like i have passed everything with them though, the lovelly young lady i spoke to told me to await a phone call on monday so they can arrange a proper interview and hopefully by then she will know when the next vacancy will be. so looks like i might have a job soon… crosses fingers
oh i forgot to add, i decided to go down, dressed smart casual only expecting a quick chat maybe assesment drive., nice jeans, nice new ankle high boots, needless to say its been raining and i now need new jeans new boots and some dry socks, my inner soles look like a slurry pit.
wont make that mistake again
well they said they would phone monday , they did not, so i phoned today and was told can you phone back thu. basically they are waiting until a vacancie comes up, not good.
i have applied again to fly by nite for the 4th time, I WILL get a reply one day. thats the kind of job i dream about and im not just going to be ignored. and again for allelys both of these positions are dream jobs for me and if i can get in early all the better
keep your pecker up fella
I’m still positive at the moment as I am getting more attention from companies then I was with just class 2 it’s all just a waiting game
got a call late morning today, can you come in for a casual chat / interview, anytime that suits you?
il be there in 1 hour .
and i was, had a nice chat with the lady there, turns out shed used to work for stobarts and well. not no more., anyway interview went well, they were happy with the assesment drive i put in last week. and now i just need to await a decision from her boss.
she said she was happy and normally she would give a decision on the spot but because i have NO class 1 experience she would have to have a word with the big boss.
cross your fingers for me, im a few hours away from work. or maybe not
got a job! see new thread