Hello newbie here, I am just wondering what other sort of 7.5 ton work is out there, I am currently doing multidrop (all handballing) and I love the driving but I do find the handballing is taking its toll on me. I can hardly lift some of the parcels I drop off. My usual round now has an additional one or two pallets of heavy catalogues that are packed in threes and it is a struggle to lift them off the pallet, I lost my grip on a pack and gouged my leg quite badly. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being a princess, I came into the industry knowing it is more suited to men but I wonder if there are other 7.5t jobs out there without so much lifting. I am saving up to do my C training and am hoping that there will be more work available with less handballing but at the moment I am stuck with 7.5t. I only work saturdays for now and it takes a few days for the aching to go away! so I know I just couldn’t do it full time. 
When I drove small van / 7.5ton work normally done 1 hits all over the country sometimes into France or drop a van for one of the lads to continue with ( as boss wouldnt let me go further long story )
So a look round at what companies are around you
Don’t want to sound negative,but you will find that the majority of class 2 work involves handballing as well.
Maybe some curtainsider/forklift work may suit you? Or maybe box work with a tail lift & pump truck-although some pallets are very heavy to turn around.
I did palletised Multidrops. Not so bad as parcels, and 99% of places have a fork lift. On the odd occasion where the pallet truck couldn’t be used, or there was no forklift, I used the ‘Only insured to drop at the kerb’ line*. One example was 4 pallets of post it notes to go to top floor of that science park near Oxford. They came to me for them.
Although I did ignore the rules one xmas delivering a pallet of paraffin in gallon bottles to a dear old lady.
Other wok I did was car recovery, but most places like you to be a mechanic for that. I only got it as I was an engineer by trade.
*EDIT: I didn’t use this line often. I only used it where I was refused help, or expected to do something unreasonable.
theres a few HIAB options for 7.5
I used to do 7.5t with aADR had around 5 drops in total mainly pallets of ink for printing firms and collect there waste Ink etc, Wish I still had my ADR but its now ran out out as isnt cheap
Thanks for all the replies, it has given me something to think about. My ultimate goal is to pass C+E but that is a way off yet. I work in a school office and I am sooo bored, now that I have had a taste of trucking, I look out of the window and think I could be out on the road (despite the aches and pains lol). After I have moved house in a couple of weeks I will be booking an assessment with Peter Smythe training. I did go out in an 18 tonner with another training school and did find the gears a bit confusing (it was the biggest thing I’d ever driven on the road so there was lots to think about) the trainer was not the most patient person, I drove around a busy Peterborough with no dramas but he didn’t like it that I didn’t master the gearbox in that half hour. I know I could take the test in an auto but then I might find myself driving another 4 over 4 or similar and struggle.
What days/hours do you do in the school office?
Do you drive every Saturday and if yes what hours are those?
I work 37 hours, on flexitime, term time only. I work most saturdays but I am aware that I must have 45 hours rest from when the driving job ends and the office one starts. I start later every other Monday due to parent events that I organise and have to attend so it works quite well.
The plan is to drive full time but I couldn’t do it for the company I drive for at the moment. I think it would finish me off!
sammy770:
I know I could take the test in an auto but then I might find myself driving another 4 over 4 or similar and struggle.
For what it’s worth (not a lot) I’d go auto. I’ve been doing my Cat C training with Peter Smythe Transport Training (test tomorrow 
) and have done it in an auto. I’m blinking glad I asked for auto because I think manual would’ve been that little bit too much (and after stalling at some terrible lights on journey over, I was glad of the auto box ). At any rate, once you’ve passed you’ve passed, and nobody (and no gearstick) can take that off you. Apart from your health.
Ooh good luck with the test 
Let us know how you get on.
Hmm I haven’t quite made up my mind yet, I know I would probably have a better chance at passing in an auto and being the sole bill-payer I really can’t afford to fail, especially on gear changes. I will speak to Pete and see what he suggests. The fellas at the depot where I drive said that class 2 there is less drops, and the stuff is mostly fork-lifted off and its another £1 an hour lol. And I’m pretty sure they are all autos.
sammy770:
I work 37 hours, on flexitime, term time only. I work most saturdays but I am aware that I must have 45 hours rest from when the driving job ends and the office one starts. I start later every other Monday due to parent events that I organise and have to attend so it works quite well.
The weekly rest was my concern but you have addressed that ok
What records of your office work do you keep with you in case you get stopped and asked for the last 4 weeks worth of records?
I have a pad of manual entry tachos, I fill one in every day that I am in the office, and I keep it in my work bag when I drive. I don’t fill one in for driving as that is all on the digicard? or should I be keeping a written record of my driving too?
sammy770:
I have a pad of manual entry tachos, I fill one in every day that I am in the office, and I keep it in my work bag when I drive. I don’t fill one in for driving as that is all on the digicard? or should I be keeping a written record of my driving too?
You are doing all that is necessary
Passed C in November and been working for a cash and carry place delivering to shops / restaurants / pubs etc… so no forklifts. All pallets and cages. It is all hand balling (except the cages) but on the plus side you lift as much as you can / want, if you cant lift 2 crates of beer just lift one, same with boxes of sweets, just takes that bit longer 
You are doing all that is necessary
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Phew, thank God for that! thanks for the advice. Might not be an issue soon though, got redundancy letters coming out on Friday from the school job
DaveB68:
Passed C in November and been working for a cash and carry place delivering to shops / restaurants / pubs etc… so no forklifts. All pallets and cages. It is all hand balling (except the cages) but on the plus side you lift as much as you can / want, if you cant lift 2 crates of beer just lift one, same with boxes of sweets, just takes that bit longer
Well done on the pass
Those cages can be heavy to push. I will have to do my homework and see what is available out there. Ideally something with lots of driving and very little handballing lol
Passed both mine in a manual ( as that was the rules then ) didnt take long to get to grips with them really it does become second nature with them
Last week I drove a DAF XF manual box with a splitter & range change now not driven 1 in a while it took me a good few min to get back used to it
So my advice would be to do at least 1 with a manual as you never know
I have also know people that have done multi drop hand-balling in an artic round london
animal:
Passed both mine in a manual ( as that was the rules then ) didnt take long to get to grips with them really it does become second nature with themLast week I drove a DAF XF manual box with a splitter & range change now not driven 1 in a while it took me a good few min to get back used to it
So my advice would be to do at least 1 with a manual as you never know
I have also know people that have done multi drop hand-balling in an artic round london
Hi animal I think I will do an assessment in a manual and take it from there. The training school I am going to use have a runway so at least I can practice the gears (hope its a long one lol). I think that the other instructor knocked my confidence a bit and I didn’t know it was a 4 over 4 until I climbed in.
Multi drop handballing in an artic around London? - sounds like challenge
sammy770:
animal:
Passed both mine in a manual ( as that was the rules then ) didnt take long to get to grips with them really it does become second nature with themLast week I drove a DAF XF manual box with a splitter & range change now not driven 1 in a while it took me a good few min to get back used to it
So my advice would be to do at least 1 with a manual as you never know
I have also know people that have done multi drop hand-balling in an artic round london
Hi animal I think I will do an assessment in a manual and take it from there. The training school I am going to use have a runway so at least I can practice the gears (hope its a long one lol). I think that the other instructor knocked my confidence a bit and I didn’t know it was a 4 over 4 until I climbed in.
Multi drop handballing in an artic around London? - sounds like challenge
Had a bit of that with my 1st instructor for my CE he totally knocked my confidence to the point I nearly gave up but did change provider & area totally ( went to John Flair training in Chelmsford ) passed after 1.5 days training
Oh now have a booster cushion & blocks to put on pedals 
as being 147cm does have its disadvantages
I think its really important to find an instructor you feel comfortable with. I did my CPC with the first instructor and he was ok, got on well with him but the minute we got in the truck he turned into this arrogant sarcastic monster!
Blimey your are about 6 inches shorter than me, I’m not tall at 5ft 4. I don’t need a cushion or blocks but I have to have the seat forward and much lower or my feet dangle above the floor of the cab lol. I keep forgetting to adjust the seat when I finish in the truck, the next driver must wonder what midget has been driving it lol 