Two years experience?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi guys. Really got to let off some steam here.
A young lad in know near me successfully passed his cat c ticket in October last year. Due to his own circumstances he wasn’t ready to start driving for a living until now.

I have been encouraging him in recent months and told him to start knocking on agency doors, so as to get on a bit and get some experience in albeit on his days off from regular job. (He has plenty of time off so could do a shift per week legally).

So I have him a list of agencies in our area and pointed out that these agencies helped me to spread my wings when I started in 2002.

The lad called me this morning, quite subdued to say the least, he told me that even agencies want 2 years under his belt before they’ll even talk to him!

How on earth have we arrived at this ridiculous situation when he’s paid all the training fees himself, he’s keen to learn and ambitious honest and hard working! I don’t get it!

So is there not a driver shortage after all?

This situation cannot be right…can it?

Now I know most companies want 2 years experience when you apply direct to them. But when did the agencies start getting choosy?
What chance has people like this lad got of being able to “step up to the plate” so to speak.

This situation has got to be a total travesty i ny book and employers and insurers need to revisit this recruitment criteria.

Am I alone in this rant? Looking at other posts, yes the 2 years insurance bit…I get. But picky agency staff! This lads for all the requirements for a long term driving career, yet the industry shuns newbies!! Thoughts please. I really feel for the young 'ins now.

2

All/most adverts say that. But apply anyway. I did and got my first start after a week direct.

Theyll probably choose experience over inexperience but experienced people dont always apply.

People shouldnt get so negative after a few doors are shut in there faces. Head up move on to the next one.

People who want to work always end up doing so.

3

Butcher:
How on earth have we arrived at this ridiculous situation when he’s paid all the training fees himself, he’s keen to learn and ambitious honest and hard working! I don’t get it!

What do you mean arrived? It was the case in the 1990s when I first started driving on agency and in addition to that they wanted a minimum 25 years old as well. I have no idea what rock you’ve been hiding under but companies and agencies wanting a minimum 2 years has been the case for almost the last quarter of a century.

4

They may say that Coner, but I’ve yet to be turned away by an agency because I don’t have 2 years experience.
I’ve been sacked by one though! :laughing:

My guess in the OP’s case is that it’s his tender age that’s putting them off, and using the experience line as an excuse…

5

try more agencey’s some will give him a start

6

Got to keep knocking on the doors.

We took a young lad on age 24 after bumping into him doing a bit of yard work for another company. He was a success and then took his mate on age 23. Now both over 25 fortunately, which takes a bit of weight off my mind.

For us, the insurance was another £500.00 on the excess till they got to 25.

7

Conor:
What do you mean arrived? It was the case in the 1990s when I first started driving on agency and in addition to that they wanted a minimum 25 years old as well. I have no idea what rock you’ve been hiding under but companies and agencies wanting a minimum 2 years has been the case for almost the last quarter of a century.

Have to agree with Conor. When I started in 78 they all wanted previous experience and I found a large dose of BS worked wonders, passed test on Thursday started following Monday.
Best way is to find a company that’s gone bust and list them as previous employer.

8

I dont know of any driver shortage, there are loads of people on here passing their tests every week, job centres are offering free training, rates havent gone up in years, some agencies cant even give you a weeks unbroken work…

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk

9

There is no driver shortage,a new driver might get some tipper or skip or sewage tanker type work to break his duck.There are so many police and firemen moonlighting on their days off that well who wants a newbee?

10

albion:
Got to keep knocking on the doors.

We took a young lad on age 24 after bumping into him doing a bit of yard work for another company. He was a success and then took his mate on age 23. Now both over 25 fortunately, which takes a bit of weight off my mind.

For us, the insurance was another £500.00 on the excess till they got to 25.

I was 23 when I started at my current place with only 6 months experience. Cost the company an extra £630 for me.

11

I spoke to a local haulier today, touting for some ad-hoc work self employed. He was only interested in my age. As soon as he heard I was over 25, the next question he asked was ‘how do you feel about nights out…?’

I told him I was flattered, but happily married.

:grimacing:

12

Food delivery firms are crying out for drivers with a Cat C in hand already… You only need the 2 years experience to get on a job with agency - not go straight in as full time.

P&H, 3663, Bidvest, & Brakes are all recruiting around this way - full time jobs rather than agency contracts…

13

Winseer:
Food delivery firms are crying out for drivers with a Cat C in hand already… You only need the 2 years experience to get on a job with agency - not go straight in as full time.

P&H, 3663, Bidvest, & Brakes are all recruiting around this way - full time jobs rather than agency contracts…

Brakes have a vacancy for an apprentice driver. Pay will be pants, but short term pain, long term…kinda gain. Ish.

Shame their Admin staff can’t spell…:

‘You must be able to demostrate a desire to work within the field and aged between 18-24. This is an apprenticeship scheme aimed at developing of future talent so we are looking for pasisonate and dedicated people.’

14

Unfortunately it’s the name of the game. Even if they will take somebody on with less than two-year’s experience, there’s no guarantee they can actually get you any work. Their clients will specify what level of experience they want in their drivers, and not many will actually take-on inexperienced drivers. There could be only one in ten jobs the agency has that they can send you on.

I joined two agencies at 22, both of which had snazzy websites with lots of buzzwords, such as “Class 1 drivers urgently needed” and “immediate start”. At one of the registrations the agency man looked at my licence, and said: “Ah, you’re a ‘new passer’, you’ll be excluded from most of the jobs we have, but we’ll see what we can do, I’m sure we can get you something”. “Something” is certainly what they got me. In four months, I was offered a Class 2 night shift for just a whisker over minimum wage, then a driver’s mate for a small supermarket chain, on minimum wage, and then, the final kick in the teeth, a truck washer, also for minimum wage. They always put “NMW” on the text too, instead of minimum wage, they must think we’re stupid. “You will be on NMW…”, bugger off!

What winds me up the most is that I know most of the local haulage companies through my old job, such as their vehicles, and what they carry. The agency will send me a text, saying that they’ve got a shift for a local company, who I know have very poor vehicles, carrying loads worth naff-all, and they still demand that only experienced drivers can apply for that job. Basically working for a s*** firm, carrying s***, in s*** vehicles, for s****y money, and they put on the bottom of the text; “Must have held your licence for more than two years”. Why, oh why?

The whole “experience” charade is a big thing in the haulage game. Everybody wants “experience”, with no or little thought to what happens when these old warhorses pack-in, and there’s nobody to replace them, because they daren’t give anyone else a chance.

That being said, if you stick at it, you WILL find a directly-employed job eventually, I certainly did.

15

Evil8Beezle:
I’ve been sacked by one though! :laughing:

How did you manage that? :open_mouth:

That’s like being sacked as the fan of a football club :wink:

16

alamcculloch:
There is no driver shortage,a new driver might get some tipper or skip or sewage tanker type work to break his duck.There are so many police and firemen moonlighting on their days off that well who wants a newbee?

Tipper firms are asking for experience now. I know of one operator who employ 5 or 6 ex foodservice drivere, people can get the same money on tippers as on food based work so why waste time on early starts and handball?

17

F-reds:

Evil8Beezle:
I’ve been sacked by one though! :laughing:

How did you manage that? :open_mouth:

That’s like being sacked as the fan of a football club :wink:

Refused to work overtime on a contract, under the offer of it being a “discretionary bonus!” :laughing:

18

F-reds:

Evil8Beezle:
I’ve been sacked by one though! :laughing:

How did you manage that? :open_mouth:

That’s like being sacked as the fan of a football club :wink:

He forgot to limp.
Didn’t tell any regular drivers that the agency suited his circumstances.
Showed up with a new undamaged phone.
Returned the vehicle full of fuel and undamaged.

19

Must try harder next time clearly!

20

I actually got my job from someone on here. After popping in for an application form, a week later I got that. It does help if said company is desperate for drivers. After me, they took on 2 more with little to no experience.