My first day driving C+E morra (through agency) and I’m bricking it hoping I don’t mess up!
I’ve got an hour induction then out on the road and I’m not ashamed to say its the guys in green in Appleton. A start is a start!
Well done pal. A job is a job, we all have to start somewhere. How long did it take you to get the job from start to finish. Plus dont mind me asking what agency you with
Cheers Darrenb
Well I been lookin at agencies for ages tryin to find a decent one (if there is such a thing) and went to Drivers Direct in Runcorn, (bit of a trek as I’m in wigan) they do Stobarts, Downton’s, UK mail, Maxi haulage etc all based around Warrington/Runcorn area.
I went in yesterday and signed up and got induction morra at Appleton.
Just take your time, dont panic and if in doubt ask… Enjoy it
I was very fortunate when I started as my best mate was already doing the job and we did a lot of double driving together, Still got the nerves from time to time Now usually out on my own and I love it
Good luck
Steve
Good luck. Take your time. Enjoy. Pete 
How did it all go today then, hope it was as expected or are you still at work? If so bonus more money.
Nice congrats!
Keep up the good work!
Look forward to the follow up…
Been busy getting the gubbins right and wrong!
My first few days have been a blare, finding my feet and getting to grips with things.
Today I drove a new volvo and it’s so much better than the Scania, more ergonomic and seems easier to drive, lacked grunt though, went down to 35-40 up over Pennines m62 at 41t! Is that normal?
Got in a right cerfuffle on fri, went upto Inverness and reload outa Lockerbie, which was a good long run and loved it, but I ran out of time coming back and stopped at 23:00, 30 mins from base on my 15hrs, well I had 30 mins left but also had to take 45 for my last driving hour so I was snookered either way. I put it down to new locations (to me) and poor planning by me, but now I know what to expect I’m sure next time will be smoother and I reckon I could knock 2 hrs off that time. Oh and I did 9hr 7 min drive to get to services so took print out and wrote on back ‘to reach suitable stopping place’.
Thursday, my very first trip out in c+e since passing feb last year! to liverpool with hazardous not dangerous, just had to use the white diamond plaques with black corners. Load was 6 hrs late (not my fault) so they made me wait a further 5!!! Hrs to tip me, wow! But hey oh, part of the job I suppose, new boy n all that. But I must’ve done ok coz as I say above, they had me back and I’m in morra then weekly rest tue-wed, back in thurs (hopefully).
Oh sat, did 4 trailer swaps, first to Lichfield, Liverpool docks and Warrington asda. I was knackered that day!
Once I go deliver to most of delivery locations, and have the routes, I’ll be more confident I think and be able to keep knocking those minutes off! Just need to get used to forward speaking gate men who presume I should know everything!!
wheelyb:
Today I drove a new volvo and it’s so much better than the Scania, more ergonomic and seems easier to drive, lacked grunt though, went down to 35-40 up over Pennines m62 at 41t! Is that normal?
Yes, try filling up a rucksack with bricks & ride a bicycle up a hill, it’ll slow you down a bit ! Lol.
It’ll settle into a gear & just ‘Chug’ up the hills. Just be patient with her & she’ll get to the top in her own time.
.
wheelyb:
Oh and I did 9hr 7 min drive to get to services so took print out and wrote on back ‘to reach suitable stopping place’.
Seeing as this happened on Friday and you started work on Thursday it shouldn’t have been a problem as twice in any fixed week you can extend your driving time to 10 hours.
How much driving did you do between your first 45 and the end of your shift when you stopped on the services ?
Today I drove a new volvo and it’s so much better than the Scania, more ergonomic and seems easier to drive, lacked grunt though, went down to 35-40 up over Pennines m62 at 41t! Is that normal?
Yes, get used to it 
In fact, the Volvo is one of the best pulling units on the road. I’ve been slower than that on some hills in other units.
TerryT, yeah the 9hr 7mins on fri was ok coz it’s reset now anyway.
that’s what I meant, I did 4hr 37mins on second driving stint till 2300 and only had 30 mins workin time for my 15hrs left.
Oh and when finishing for the day, but it’ll take 10 mins from takin card out to actually leaving the office to home do u put it on rest as I’ve been doin or otherwork?
wheelyb:
TerryT, yeah the 9hr 7mins on fri was ok coz it’s reset now anyway.
that’s what I meant, I did 4hr 37mins on second driving stint till 2300 and only had 30 mins workin time for my 15hrs left.
I suspected as much, just checking.
Oh and when finishing for the day, but it’ll take 10 mins from takin card out to actually leaving the office to home do u put it on rest as I’ve been doin or otherwork?
Depends what you’re actually doing. If you walk straight from the truck to your car then rest is fine. If you have to debrief or hand in paperwork etc then technically you should be on other work. In reality, a lot of drivers just eject the card and skip manual entries in the morning and no one ever seems to get done for it.
Personally, I use my manual entries so my card time matches my clock time and put other work to cover the times before and after my card is put in and ejected.
How do u record your driving hours, other work etc for weekly and 2 weekly limits? I’m not talkin about just the digi card, do u write the total down each day? Or do u not bother and just have it on the card?
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in the summary of my print out, what does this rest with a Question mark relate to coz I’ve not had that much rest today! And I had 12 hr rest from end of shift yesterday!
wheelyb:
How do u record your driving hours, other work etc for weekly and 2 weekly limits? I’m not talkin about just the digi card, do u write the total down each day? Or do u not bother and just have it on the card?
I never really get near the limits so don’t usually bother.
Storing it all on the card is fine, your company will ask you to download it periodically. We do it once a week. I’ve heard of companies requesting it every day so swings and roundabouts.
Do you have an ADR for your Haz load?(Ltd Quant’s still requires one)